Baked Ziti
Classic Baked Ziti with Meat Sauce is a delicious pasta dish with Creamy Ricotta and Mozzarella baked into a flavorful casserole with a flavorful meat sauce.
Servings: 10 people
Calories: 607kcal
Ingredients
Meat Sauce Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion small dice
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 finely chopped onion
- 3 finely chopped garlic cloves
- 1 lb. ground beef
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 24 oz. jar of pasta sauce
- 1/3 cup Red wine
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
Pasta Ingredients
- 1 lb. ziti
- 15 oz. Ricotta cheese
- 1 lb. grated mozzarella cheese
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Asiago or hard aged cheese i.e. Parmesan, Romano, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Boil ziti in a pot of salted boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions.
- Run with cold water immediately after cooking and toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a deep skillet. Add onion and garlic. Saute for 2 minutes, until translucent.
- Add meat and cook until meat is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Add pasta sauce. Pour 1/3 cup water into the pasta jar and swish it around. Pour it into the skillet with the wine. Stir to combine.
- Add basil, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Add fresh parsley and stir to combine. Adjust salt and pepper, as necessary.
- While meat is simmering, combine 2 cups of the mozzarella, ricotta and heavy cream in a bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Mix to combine.
- Add meat sauce and cheese combination to cooked ziti and mix well until thoroughly combined.
- Transfer to a 9x12 baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and asiago cheese on top. Press down to make sure casserole is well compacted.
- Transfer to oven and bake for 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Notes
Any type of ground meat can be used. You can use ground turkey, ground chicken or even ground lamb, if you prefer.
Nutrition
Calories: 607kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 759mg | Potassium: 590mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1107IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 556mg | Iron: 3mg
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