Easy Baked Ziti Recipe

This easy baked ziti recipe is a classic Italian-American dish made with ziti pasta, marinara, cheese and beef then baked until bubbly. It's a simple and satisfying!

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 40

Servings:

Ingredients

1 pound ziti noodles , or penne noodles
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
4 cloves garlic , minced
1 pound ground beef , or Italian sausage
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (26-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
2-4 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano , or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¾ cup sour cream
1-2 cups grated fresh mozzarella cheese , divided

For serving (optional): Fresh basil or Parsley

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Boil ziti according to package instructions. Drain.
In a large pot, heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Stir in 1 cup onion and 4 cloves garlic and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until onions are tender. Add in one pound ground beef and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until browned. Drain excess grease, if needed. Stir in 1 can diced tomatoes, 26 ounces spaghetti sauce, 2-4 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes.
Stir in 3/4 cup sour cream and cooked ziti. Spoon 1/2 of the mixture into the baking dish. Top with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Spoon the remaining ziti mixture over the cheese. Top with the remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.
Top with fresh basil or parsley, if desired, to serve.

Notes

Spice. Feel free to add some red pepper flakes to give the dish a little heat.

Cheese. Grate your own mozzarella cheese! Freshly grated cheese melts way better than the pre-shredded bags and makes all the difference!

Ricotta. Instead of adding sour cream, you can use a ricotta filling similar to a classic lasagna. Simply pour the pasta mixture into the dish, add the ricotta filling on top, then pour in the remaining pasta, and then cover with mozzarella.

Make-ahead: To make in advance, simply assemble, cover with foil, and place in the fridge. The dish will keep in the fridge for about 2 days. When ready to bake, simply remove the foil and bake at 350°F for 35 to 45 minutes.

Reheating leftovers: Loosely cover with foil and cook in the oven at 350°F until warmed throughout. The foil helps to keep the ziti from drying out. I've found that it takes about 15 minutes to heat all the way through.

Freeze: Place 1/2 of the pasta mixture in an 8x8-inch baking dish and cover with foil. Place in a zip-top bag and freeze. When ready to cook, remove from the freezer and thaw on the counter 1 hour or in the refrigerator overnight. Preheat the oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes.

Nutrition