Baked Ziti With Ground Beef

My baked ziti recipe with homemade meat sauce is one of those miracle dinners that materializes from seemingly nothing. That’s why I love baked ziti—It’s a completely hands-off pasta dish once it goes in the oven. Made with tender ziti noodles, hearty ground beef marinara, and two layers of cheese, my homemade version of the baked pasta is made without ricotta, but does include chopped pancetta which adds great depth of flavor. This recipe yields 10 servings, making it the perfect hearty meal for feeing a crowd.

Course dinner

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword baked ziti

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 5

Servings people

Calories 480kcal

Author Olivia Ribas

Ingredients

1 pound ziti or penne pasta
Kosher salt
½ cup chopped Pancetta
1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage (removed from casings)
1 cup white onion chopped
4 cloves garlic chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cups jarred marinara or pasta sauce or make your own tomato sauce
Black pepper to taste
8 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded
1 cup grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti or penne pasta until al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
In a large skillet, cook the pancetta over medium heat until crispy. Remove and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet. Add the ground beef or sausage to the skillet and cook until browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Remove any excess grease.
Add the chopped onion to the skillet and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, fresh basil, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes, cooking for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Pour the marinara or tomato sauce into the skillet and stir to combine. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Let the sauce simmer for 5-7 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, prepared sauce, and crispy pancetta. Toss well to coat.
Distribute half of the pasta blend into the baking dish you've prepared. Scatter half of the mozzarella and half of the Parmesan cheese over the pasta. Add the remaining pasta mixture on top, followed by the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Let the baked ziti rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional fresh basil or grated cheese if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

Be careful not to overcook the pasta because it’ll continue to cook in the oven. Boil it until it’s just al dente, then drain and set it aside.
Seasoning each layer of the dish (salting the pasta water, seasoning the meat and sauce) helps build the best flavor.
If your pasta mixture seems dry, stir in a bit more sauce before you bake it.

Nutrition