Italian Baked Ziti Recipe with Ground Beef
You work all day and come home exhausted, yet everyone still wants to eat. When you have hungry loved ones to feed, and you don’t feel like cooking, here is a great recipe that anyone can cook up quickly and have a great meal on the table in no time.
Of course being from Pittsburgh, PA, we add ground beef to just about everything, and our Italian Baked Ziti is no exception. This tastes wonderful with ground beef and it makes for a filling meal.
You could spice it up just a little and add some ground sausage as well.
One of the nicest things about this Baked Ziti – LEFTOVERS!
- 12 oz. ziti pasta
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 15 oz. container ricotta cheese
- 1 8 oz.package of shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 24 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
- 1 ⁄2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
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Preheat oven to 350.
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Cook ziti according to package directions. Drain and rinse lightly with cold water to prevent any sticking.
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While pasta is cooking, brown ground beef. Salt & pepper lightly as you cook. Drain off any grease and add the jar of sauce to the beef. Stir through and cook until warmed.
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Spay a 9 x 13" casserole dish with nonstick spray and pour half of the meat sauce on the bottom of the dish.
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In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, half the mozzarella and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese.. Lightly salt & pepper this mixture.
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Gently mix in the cooked ziti and stir until pasta is well coated.
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Pour the ziti on top of meat sauce.
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Spoon remaining meat sauce on top of the ziti.
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Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese and remaining mozzarella cheese.
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Bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and mixture is hot and bubbly.
From start to finish, this Italian Baked Ziti Recipe should take only about 20 minutes of time. To make this a complete meal, serve with a tossed salad and fresh dressing.
