Baked Ziti with Ground Beef Recipe (Easy and Cheesy!)
This Baked Ziti with Ground Beef Recipe is a weeknight-friendly, minimal ingredient dinner that’s creamy, cheesy, and packed with savory beef and marinara. It skips the ricotta and egg entirely for a smoother cheese layer using sour cream or cottage cheese and finishes with melted provolone and Parmesan for the perfect bite.
Servings: 6
Calories: 508kcal
Equipment
- 10.5 x 7.5-inch baking dish
- Large dutch oven or skillet
- Medium mixing bowl
- Saucepan or stock pot (for pasta)
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Aluminum foil (for covering)
Ingredients
Pasta and Meat Sauce
- 8 ounces ziti or penne pasta
- 1¾ cups marinara sauce such as Rao’s
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ yellow onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- black pepper to taste
- 4-5 fresh basil leaves optional
- ½ cup reserved pasta water optional (only if needed)
Cheesy Layer
- 1 cup sour cream or blended cottage cheese
- 1 cup mozzarella shredded
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Topping
- 6 slices provolone cheese
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta 1 minute less than package directions. Drain and reserve ½ cup pasta water.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, 5–7 minutes. Stir in onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened. Add marinara and basil. Simmer 5–10 minutes, adding a little reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce (only if needed). Remove basil.
- In a medium bowl, combine sour cream (or cottage cheese), mozzarella, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning. Stir until smooth and creamy.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 10.5 x 7.5 baking dish.
- Spread a small amount of meat sauce in the bottom.
- Toss drained pasta with remaining sauce, then layer half into the dish. Spread all of the cheese mixture evenly over the pasta. Add the remaining pasta mixture. Top with provolone slices and sprinkle with Parmesan.
- Cover loosely with foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake an additional 10–15 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly. Broil for 1–2 minutes for extra color if desired.
Video
Notes
Cooking Notes:
Cook the pasta one minute less than the package instructions so it finishes cooking in the oven without becoming soft. Simmer the sauce briefly to concentrate flavor before layering. Cover loosely with foil at first to prevent the cheese from browning too quickly.
Tips for Best Results:
- Undercook the pasta slightly so it stays firm after baking.
- Stir the cheese mixture until fully smooth for an even creamy layer.
- Simmer the sauce long enough to thicken before assembling so it isn’t watery.
- Let the baked ziti rest 5–10 minutes so it slices cleanly and holds its shape.
Nutrition
Calories: 508kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 906mg | Potassium: 649mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 868IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 361mg | Iron: 3mg
