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–+ servings
Melany

Hearty Baked Ziti with Meat Sauce

Rich, cheesy, and comforting, Hearty Baked Ziti with Meat Sauce is the ultimate casserole for cozy dinners, potlucks, or meal prep. This dish layers tender ziti pasta, savory meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and gooey cheese for a flavor-packed meal that’s easy to make and perfect for feeding a crowd.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

Pasta and Sauce:
  • 1 pound ziti pasta
  • 4 quarts water
  • 5 tsp kosher salt divided
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound Italian sausage mild or spicy
  • ½ cup yellow onion finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp garlic minced
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning divided
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes with juice
  • ½ tsp black pepper divided
Cheese Mixture:
  • 2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese grated
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated, divided
  • 1 tbsp Italian parsley chopped
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
Optional Garnish:
  • Chopped parsley
  • Additional Parmesan cheese

Method
 

reheat the Oven:
  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Position the oven rack in the middle.
2. Cook the Pasta:
  1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tbsp salt.
  2. Cook the ziti pasta until al dente, about 9–10 minutes.
  3. Drain, rinse with cool water, and set aside, leaving the pasta slightly moist.
3. Prepare the Meat Sauce:
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.
  2. Add the sausage, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Cook until browned, about 4–5 minutes.
  3. Add onion, garlic, and 1 tsp Italian seasoning. Sauté until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
  4. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to deepen the flavor.
  5. Add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, 1 tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. Reserve 2 cups of the meat sauce for layering later.
4. Make the Cheese Mixture:
  1. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, ¼ cup Parmesan, parsley, egg, 1 tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper.
  2. Stir until smooth and well-blended.
5. Combine Pasta with Sauce:
  1. Toss the cooked ziti with the remaining meat sauce in the Dutch oven, ensuring the pasta is fully coated.
6. Assemble the Casserole:
  1. Grease a 13×9-inch baking dish.
  2. Spread half of the sauced pasta into the dish.
  3. Dollop half of the ricotta mixture over the pasta.
  4. Spread half of the reserved meat sauce over the ricotta.
  5. Repeat the layers with the remaining pasta, ricotta mixture, and meat sauce.
  6. Top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
7. Bake the Ziti:
  1. Cover the dish with greased aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
  2. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
8. Serve:
  1. Let the baked ziti rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
  2. Garnish with chopped parsley and additional Parmesan, if desired.

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