Description
Discover the ultimate baked ziti recipe! Learn how to make this classic Italian pasta dish with a cheesy, flavorful twist on our cooking website.
Ingredients
Scale
- 454 g dry ziti pasta (1 lb)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 454 g lean ground beef (1 lb)
- 2 (737 g) jars spaghetti sauce (26 oz)
- 170 g provolone cheese, sliced (6 oz)
- 360 ml sour cream (1 1/2 cups)
- 170 g mozzarella cheese, shredded (6 oz)
- 30 g grated Parmesan cheese (2 tbsp)
Instructions
- Ensure you have all the necessary ingredients on hand.
- Fill a large pot with water, add a pinch of salt, and bring it to a rolling boil. Drop in the ziti pasta, cooking it until it’s just firm to the bite, approximately 8 minutes, then strain it.
- In the meantime, cook the ground beef and onion in a sizable frying pan on medium heat until browned; mix in the spaghetti sauce and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Set your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for preheating. Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish with butter.
- Layer half of the cooked ziti at the bottom of the buttered dish.
- Place slices of Provolone cheese over the pasta.
- Spread the sour cream evenly on top.
- Add half of the sauce with meat, followed by the remaining ziti, then sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, and pour over the leftover meat sauce. Finish with a layer of grated Parmesan cheese.
- Place in the oven, and bake until thoroughly heated and the cheese is bubbly and melted, around 30 minutes.
Notes
- Consider using ground turkey or chicken instead of lean ground beef for a lighter option.
- Experiment with cheddar or fontina cheese for a unique flavor profile.
- Add fresh basil or oregano to the meat sauce for added freshness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Calories: 578 kcal
- Fat: 25 g
- Protein: 28 g
Keywords: baked ziti recipe, cheesy ziti bake, creamy pasta bake, ziti casserole, meaty baked ziti, cheesy pasta bake