Baked Ziti Ground Beef (Printable)

Cheesy pasta bake with tender ziti, savory beef, rich marinara sauce, and melted mozzarella.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 pound ziti pasta

→ Meat

02 - 1 pound ground beef

→ Sauce

03 - 3 cups marinara sauce
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
06 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Cheese

07 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
08 - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - 1 cup ricotta cheese

→ Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
13 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
14 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Boil ziti in salted water until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
04 - Add minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add ground beef to the skillet, breaking it apart with a spoon. Cook until browned, 6 to 8 minutes, then drain excess fat.
06 - Stir marinara sauce, dried basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Simmer for 5 minutes.
07 - In a large bowl, mix cooked ziti, meat sauce, ricotta cheese, and half of the shredded mozzarella and Parmesan until well combined.
08 - Spread half of the pasta mixture in the prepared baking dish. Top with half of the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
09 - Add the rest of the pasta mixture and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
10 - Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
11 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
12 - Let the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in about an hour and tastes like you've been cooking all day.
  • Three cheeses mean every forkful has that creamy, melty luxury that keeps people coming back for seconds.
  • You can make it ahead, refrigerate it unbaked, and slide it in the oven whenever you need dinner to happen.
02 -
  • Draining the beef's excess fat isn't optional—it prevents the final dish from being greasy and one-dimensional.
  • Cooking the pasta one minute under al dente changed my life; it's the difference between creamy baked ziti and pasta soup.
03 -
  • If your cheese is starting to brown too quickly but the inside isn't bubbly yet, tent it loosely with foil and keep going—patience here prevents burnt edges.
  • Taste the meat sauce before adding it to the pasta; season it like you mean it, because the pasta will mellow everything slightly.

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