Best Baked Ziti

Overhead view of baked ziti in a square casserole dish

5 from 5

With lean ground beef, marinara sauce, 3 different types of cheese, sour cream, and Italian seasonings, this is truly the Best Baked Ziti Recipe! It's a hearty dish loaded with flavor and so easy to make.

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Total Time50

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: baked ziti with ground beef, best baked ziti recipe, easy baked ziti

Servings: servings

Ingredients

1/2 pound dry ziti pasta
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 small onion , diced
2 cloves garlic , minced
1/2 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper , to taste
26 ounces jar marinara sauce
3 ounces sliced provolone cheese
3/4 cup sour cream
4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
fresh chopped parsley , for garnish
garlic bread , for serving, optional

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
In the meantime, warm olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and onion; sauté, breaking up the beef into crumbles until it’s browned and no pink remains, and the onions have softened. Drain off grease. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Season with the Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, and a few grinds of salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the marinara sauce and gently simmer for 10 minutes.
While the sauce is simmering, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9x9-inch baking dish that has high sides with nonstick cooking spray.
Spread a thin layer of the sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Mix the rest of the sauce with the cooked pasta until it's fully coated.
Layer as follows: 1/2 of the ziti, the Provolone slices, even dollops of sour cream, remaining ziti, and mozzarella cheese. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove foil and bake 15 minute more or until cheeses are melted and golden.
Let stand 10 minutes then serve with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley and garlic bread!

Video

Notes

Can I use different noodles? While this should technically be made with ziti noodles, other short noodles like penne and mostaccioli will work just fine.
Try different proteins. Instead of ground beef, you can use sausage or even ground turkey. Or, for the most flavor, do a combination of ground beef and ground sausage.
Make it vegetarian. Just omit the ground beef from the recipe. You can add in vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, red pepper, and mushrooms, in its place if desired.
Add ricotta. Many versions of baked ziti use ricotta cheese instead of sour cream. We prefer the flavor of sour cream but feel free to add in some ricotta if desired.
Double it up. Cooking for a big group or want leftovers? You can easily double this recipe and bake it in a 10x15 pan if needed.

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