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The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker
There are endless versions of baked ziti, all wonderfully delicious. Some are covered in a generous layer of cheese and moistened by a tomato-based sauce with ground beef, but others are made without meat and with other variations on the sauce, like pesto or sour cream. Each cook has a favorite combination, the perfect ratio of cheeses, and their preferred sauce, but it's fair to say that all baked zitis make a wonderful and easy weeknight dinner, as you can pretty much put in it anything you'd like that you have at hand. Our ziti casserole is a flavorful combination of seasoned tomato sauce with ground beef, baked to perfection with a melty mozzarella cheese topping.
Traditionally served in Southern Italy back in the day when the bride, the zita, needed to present her new husband a lunch, ziti comes from the slang term that referred to such young ladies. Baked ziti was also part of the nuptial meal. The Americanized version has added and subtracted ingredients, but nowadays anything and everything can go in such a casserole and there is no one traditional recipe.
Use any short pasta, but go for a tubular pasta as it best soaks up the sauce. Easy to prepare, assemble the night before, cover and refrigerate, and simply pop in the oven when it's time to eat. Serve with a green salad and some garlic bread.
“A classic comfort recipe in countless households, baked ziti benefits from being thrown together with a lot of kitchen staples. But don’t underestimate it; it’s a classic for a reason!” —Noah Velush-Rogers
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Ingredients
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1 teaspoon unsalted butter
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3/4 teaspoon salt, more as needed
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1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
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1 pound lean ground beef, ground chuck, or ground round
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1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion
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1/2 cup coarsely chopped green bell pepper
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1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
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1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
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1/2 teaspoon dried basil
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1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
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1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or 1 small minced clove garlic
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1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
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8 ounces dry ziti pasta
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2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker
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Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 F. Lightly butter a 2 1/2-quart baking dish. Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil.
The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker
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Drizzle the oil in a large skillet or sauté pan and place it over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the ground beef, onion, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring often, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon until the beef is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender.
The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker
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Drain off the excess fat. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker
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While the meat is simmering, cook the ziti in the boiling salted water until just al dente. The pasta needs to still have some bite as it will continue cooking in the oven. Set aside. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot with the meat mixture and half of the mozzarella. Stir to combine.
The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker
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Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker
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Top the casserole with the remaining half of the mozzarella cheese.
The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker
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Bake the ziti until the cheese melts and begins to bubble and brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker
Make Ahead or Freeze
- This is a great dish for a make-ahead dinner. Assemble the casserole and wrap it tightly in foil. Refrigerate overnight and allow the dish to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking as directed.
- For freezing, assemble the casserole in a freezer-safe dish but do not bake. Cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap and keep for up to 3 months. Allow the dish to thaw overnight before baking it as directed. Add extra mozzarella cheese and a drizzle of olive oil if needed.
Recipe Variations
There are as many recipes for ziti as there are cooks to make them. Here are some of our favorite takes on this dish:
- Add an extra 8-ounce can of tomato sauce for a saucier casserole, or 1 cup of heavy cream. In either case, adjust the seasoning accordingly.
- Replace the ground beef with 1 pound of bulk Italian sausage, ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground venison. Brown as directed with the onion and bell pepper.
- Replace the mozzarella cheese with a pizza cheese blend, an Italian cheese blend, or cheddar and mozzarella. For a cheesier version, sprinkle 1/4 cup of Parmesan on top of the casserole before adding the final mozzarella layer.
- Add 2 cups of steamed broccoli or cauliflower florets into the mixture. Alternatively, add 3 cups of baby spinach into the pan at the same time as you're adding the tomato sauce.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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383 | Calories |
21g | Fat |
17g | Carbs |
32g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 6 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 383 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 21g | 27% |
Saturated Fat 8g | 42% |
Cholesterol 94mg | 31% |
Sodium 1057mg | 46% |
Total Carbohydrate 17g | 6% |
Dietary Fiber 3g | 11% |
Total Sugars 7g | |
Protein 32g | |
Vitamin C 25mg | 126% |
Calcium 286mg | 22% |
Iron 4mg | 22% |
Potassium 811mg | 17% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
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