Baked Ziti Ground Beef

There's something about the smell of ground beef browning in a skillet that takes me straight back to my mother's kitchen on lazy Sunday afternoons. She'd have a pot of water boiling for pasta, garlic mincing on the cutting board, and this quiet confidence that dinner would be ready before anyone got too hungry. Baked ziti was her answer to feeding a crowd without fuss, and it became mine too. Now when I make it, I'm not just cooking—I'm recreating that feeling of abundance and comfort in one golden, bubbling dish.

I learned the real magic of this dish when I made it for my neighbor who had just moved in next door with two small kids and a mountain of boxes. She came to pick it up and actually teared up because it was warm, filling, and she didn't have to think about dinner. That's when I realized baked ziti isn't fancy, but it's never forgettable.

Ingredients

• Ziti pasta (1 pound): Don't overthink this—regular dried ziti works perfectly, but cook it a minute under al dente because it'll soften more in the oven.
• Ground beef (1 pound): Room temperature beef breaks up easier while cooking, giving you smaller, more evenly cooked pieces throughout the sauce.
• Marinara sauce (3 cups): Use whatever you have on hand, homemade or jarred—this dish isn't about pretense, it's about results.
• Garlic (2 cloves, minced) and yellow onion (1 small, finely chopped): These two create the flavor base that makes people ask for your recipe without knowing why.
• Olive oil (1 tablespoon): Just enough to start the aromatics without making the dish heavy.
• Mozzarella cheese (2 cups shredded): The melting MVP—it creates that gorgeous golden top and stretchy interior.
• Parmesan cheese (1 cup grated): This adds a salty, savory note that prevents the dish from tasting one-dimensional.
• Ricotta cheese (1 cup): Stir it in gently so you get little creamy pockets throughout, not a uniform paste.
• Dried basil and oregano (1 teaspoon each): These dried herbs are your secret; don't skip them even if you plan to add fresh basil later.
• Salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (to taste): The flakes are optional but they add a whisper of heat that makes everything taste more intentional.

Instructions

Get your oven ready and prep your pan:

Preheat to 375°F and lightly grease your 9x13-inch baking dish—I use the wrapper from a stick of butter and just run it around the inside. This prevents sticking and adds a subtle richness.

Cook the pasta until just shy of done:

Salt your water generously, like you're seasoning soup, and cook the ziti about a minute under the package directions. It'll finish cooking in the oven and stay tender instead of turning mushy.

Soften the onion and wake up the garlic:

Warm olive oil in a skillet, add chopped onion, and let it become translucent and sweet—this takes about 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook just until fragrant, maybe 1 minute, or it'll turn bitter.

Brown the beef and season it well:

Break the ground beef into small pieces as it cooks, which takes 6 to 8 minutes—you want it browned all over, not gray and clumpy. Drain off excess fat, then add your marinara sauce, dried basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if you're using them.

Let the sauce whisper to itself:

Simmer everything together for 5 minutes so the flavors meld. You're not looking for a rolling boil, just gentle bubbles breaking the surface.

Combine everything in a big bowl:

Mix your cooked ziti, meat sauce, ricotta, and half of the mozzarella and Parmesan together until it's evenly distributed. Don't overmix—you want visible streaks of cheese, not a homogenized paste.

Layer strategically for even cooking:

Spread half the pasta mixture in your baking dish, top with half the remaining cheese, then add the rest of the pasta and finish with all remaining cheese. This ensures every layer gets some golden, melted cheese.

Bake covered, then uncover to golden:

Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes so everything heats through, then remove the foil and bake 10 to 15 minutes more until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown at the edges. The edges brown first, which is your signal it's done.

Rest before serving:

Let it sit for 10 minutes after coming out of the oven—this seems like nothing, but it helps everything set so you get clean, intact servings instead of a collapsed heap on the plate.

Save

My daughter once ate three servings in a row and declared it better than the fancy restaurant pasta we'd had the week before. That's when I knew this recipe had passed the real test—it didn't need to be complicated to matter.

The Cheese Formula

The three-cheese combination is deliberate. Ricotta gives creamy texture, mozzarella creates that gorgeous melt, and Parmesan adds sharpness and salt. If you've only ever seen recipes with two cheeses, you're missing the depth that makes this dish memorable. I learned this by accident when I forgot to add ricotta one time and the result felt flat and heavy at the same time—now I never skip it.

Making It Ahead

This is the dish that saves dinner on nights when life gets chaotic. You can assemble it completely, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to two days before baking. Just add 10 minutes to the baking time if it's coming straight from the cold. I often make two at once—one to eat tonight and one to deliver to a friend with a new baby or someone going through a rough patch.

Variations and What I've Learned

This recipe is flexible without losing its soul. I've swapped ground beef for Italian sausage when I wanted something spicier, and it's equally good. Fresh basil stirred in right before serving adds brightness that dried basil can't reach. Some nights I stir in a handful of spinach into the meat sauce, and nobody ever knows it's there but they taste it. The structure stays the same, which is comforting.

• Italian sausage brings heat and fennel notes that change the whole character in the best way.
• A small pinch of fresh basil on top right after serving feels like a restaurant touch and costs nothing.
• Whole-wheat or gluten-free pasta works perfectly if you need it—no adjustments required.

Save

Baked ziti is the dish that taught me that cooking doesn't need to be complicated to be meaningful. Make it, feed the people you love, and watch their faces light up when that first forkful hits the table warm and golden.

Questions & Answers

→ Can I use different pasta types?

Yes, tubular pastas like penne or rigatoni can substitute ziti well, maintaining the hearty texture.

→ How do I prevent the pasta from becoming mushy?

Cook pasta just until al dente and drain well before mixing with sauce and cheese.

→ Can I prepare this dish ahead of time?

Assemble the layers in advance and refrigerate. Bake just before serving for best texture.

→ What cheese varieties enhance this dish?

Ricotta adds creaminess, mozzarella melts beautifully for stretch, and Parmesan contributes a sharp finish.

→ Is it possible to add vegetables?

Sautéed spinach, mushrooms, or bell peppers can be stirred into the sauce or pasta for extra flavor.