Description
Million Dollar Baked Ziti is a creamy, cheesy baked pasta layered with savory meat sauce and rich cheeses, perfect for weeknights or family gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz ziti pasta
- 1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage
- 24 oz marinara sauce
- 15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and cook ziti in salted water until al dente, then drain.
- Brown the ground beef or sausage in a skillet over medium heat and drain excess fat.
- Add minced garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.
- Stir in marinara sauce and Italian seasoning and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Mix ricotta with half of the mozzarella and some Parmesan until smooth.
- Layer half the ziti, meat sauce, and cheese mixture in a greased baking dish and repeat.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Uncover, add remaining mozzarella, and bake until bubbly and lightly golden.
Notes
- Use whole milk cheeses for the creamiest texture.
- Let the baked ziti rest for 10 minutes before serving for cleaner slices.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 70mg