Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 1 lb ziti pasta
• 1 lb ground beef, or ground sausage
• 28 ounces marinara sauce, or store-bought
• 2 cups canned diced tomatoes, don't drain
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Ricotta Cheese Mixture

• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely minced
• 1 tsp fresh basil, finely minced
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
2. Place the ground beef in a large pot and cook until fully browned. Season with the garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
3. Stir in the marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, and red pepper flakes. Cover the pot and let the sauce simmer for 15 minutes. After simmering, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, then set aside 2 cups of the sauce for later.
4. While the sauce is cooking, prepare the ziti in a large pot of boiling salted water until it reaches an al dente texture.
5. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, parsley, basil, and grated garlic. Stir until evenly blended, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Fold the cooked pasta into the meat sauce until well coated. Transfer half of the pasta mixture into a 9×13 baking dish. Spoon dollops of the ricotta mixture over the pasta, then add pieces of the fresh mozzarella cheese.
7. Spread the reserved 2 cups of meat sauce over the first layer. Top with the remaining pasta mixture, then finish with the rest of the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese evenly over the top.
8. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 10 minutes. Finish under the broiler for 1–2 minutes until the cheese is lightly browned. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Preparing the meat sauce ahead of time allows the flavors to develop even more. The assembled casserole can also be refrigerated for several hours before baking; simply keep it covered until you're ready to cook.
• For extra vegetables, mix chopped fresh spinach into the ricotta filling or add diced carrots and mushrooms to the meat sauce.
• Lightly coat the underside of the aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray to help prevent the melted cheese from sticking.
• To keep the pasta from becoming overly soft after baking, cook it just shy of al dente. For example, if the package recommends 10 minutes, boil it for about 8–9 minutes instead.

Nutrition