Baked Ziti With Meat Sauce: Easy and delicious dinner made with ground beef and mozzarella cheese. You’ll never miss the classic Italian recipe with this ultimate comforting baked Ziti with meat sauce.
I love serving good food. I believe that a delicious meal brings people closer. Surely, this baked Ziti fits the bill! It’s incredibly easy to make and super tasty. The perfect casual get-together meal. An amazing Sunday supper or weeknight meal idea.
This baked Ziti is like lasagna but so much easier to make. You can even prep this whole dish in advance and pop it in the oven when ready to serve. Also, the sauce is excellent by itself. Feel free to make a double batch of the sauce and simply freeze some for later to enjoy over spaghetti.
Baked Ziti with meat sauce is insanely simple to whip up, delicious, and a must!
What You Need To Make This Baked Ziti With Meat Sauce
- Olive oil
- Ground beef
- Onion
- Garlic
- Kosher salt
- Italian seasoning
- Black pepper
- Tomato sauce
- Crushed tomatoes
- Penne pasta
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Parmesan cheese
To make this recipe gluten-free (you should use this ingredient instead):
- Use gluten-free pasta like Barilla.
Steps To Make Baked Ziti With Meat Sauce
Step 1: To prepare the sauce, cook the ground beef until no longer pink, breaking the meat up using a spatula as it cooks.
Step 2: Toss in the onions and sauté until softened. Toss in the garlic and seasonings. Cook for an extra minute.
Garlic:
Italian seasoning:
Salt:
Pepper:
Step 3: Add the tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a low boil, then reduced the heat. Let the sauce simmer for at least 30 minutes to develop flavor. But the longer the sauce cooks, the better the flavor.
Crushed tomatoes:
Step 4: Cook the ziti, penne, or rigatoni pasta until al dente. Drain when done.
Step 5: Pour the sauce over the drained and cooked pasta and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Stir well until all are combined.
Step 6: Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish/baking pan. Add the rest of the mozzarella cheese over the top.
Step 7: Bake for 30 minutes. Then, broil if desired until golden and bubbly.
Step 8: Before serving, let this sit for 5 minutes. Dig in!
Frequently Asked Questions
How to make Baked Ziti ahead?
Allow the baked Ziti to cool before tightly covering it up with a stretch film and storing it in the fridge. Or prep the sauce in advance, then cook the pasta. When ready to serve, assemble the Baked Ziti.
How to store?
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for up to 2 days.
<Remember it later>
Planning to try this recipe soon? Pin it for a quick find later!
<Remember it later>
Planning to try this recipe soon? Pin it for a quick find later!
Baked Ziti With Meat Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 c. diced onion about ½ an onion
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning like McCormick
- 28 oz. can tomato sauce
- 1 lb. penne pasta
- 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
- ½ c. parmesan cheese shredded
- 2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oil on medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Once hot, add the ground beef and cook, breaking the meat up using a spoon until the beef is no longer pink.
- Add the onions and proceed to cook for additional 5 minutes until tender.
- Add the garlic along with the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook for 2 minutes more.
- Add the tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes. Bring everything to a low simmer, then put the lid on and simmer for additional 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Cook the penne less than 2 minutes of the suggested cooking time until very al dente. Drain the pasta when done.
- Place the pasta in a large bowl, along with the meat sauce, parmesan, and 1 ½ cups of mozzarella. Mix well, then transfer the mixture into a casserole dish or 9 x 13-inch baking pan. On top, sprinkle the rest of the half-cup mozzarella cheese.
- Tent the dish with foil and place it in the preheated oven. Bake for about 30 minutes or until bubbly. You can broil for 2 to 3 minutes if desired to slightly brown the top.
- Remove from the oven when done and allow the dish to sit for about 5 minutes, then serve.
Notes
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I’m Bitty, owner of nodashofgluten.com, where I share simple, delicious recipes for all tastes, including gluten-free. Check out my “About Me” page for more info!
