Easy Cheesy Baked Ziti
Meaty, creamy, and cheesy baked ziti is a family favorite!
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Servings: 10 SERVINGS
Calories: 580kcal
Equipment
- 9x13-inch casserole dish
- Oven
- Large pot
- Large mixing bowl
- Large Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 16 oz ziti pasta
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 lb bulk Italian sausage
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1-28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1-14.5 oz can tomato sauce
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
Instructions
- Cook the ziti pasta according to package instructions, in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and prevent the pasta from sticking to each other.
- Make the meat sauce. Brown the ground beef and Italian sausage in a Dutch oven until no longer pink, along with the chopped onion and minced garlic. Drain the excess fat.
- Mix in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, ground cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the ricotta, Parmesan, one cup of shredded mozzarella, egg, and chopped parsley until combined.
- Stir in the cooked pasta.
- Spoon one-third of the meat sauce into a 9x13-inch casserole dish.
- Add half of the pasta and cheese mixture.
- Sprinkle ½ cup shredded mozzarella over the pasta.
- Repeat the process ending with the final ⅓ meat sauce and ½ cup of shredded mozzarella.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Nutrition
Calories: 580kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 1480mg | Potassium: 338mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 16IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 17mg