Description
A rich, cheesy, comforting classic, this *Million Dollar Baked Ziti* is the ultimate easy dinner idea that feels like a feast. Perfectly cooked pasta is layered with creamy ricotta, savory ground meat, and bubbly mozzarella — it’s one of those baked dishes you’ll keep coming back to. Ideal for quick dinners, weekend meal prep, or even as a freezer-friendly dish, it’s packed with flavor and guaranteed to become a household favorite. Whether you’re looking for a comforting weeknight meal or searching for crowd-pleasing food ideas, this baked ziti has you covered.
Ingredients
1 pound ziti pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage
1 small onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
24 oz marinara sauce
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 cup ricotta cheese
8 oz cream cheese softened
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil or parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium. Sauté diced onions for 3–4 minutes. Add meat and cook until browned. Stir in garlic and cook for another minute.
3. Add marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
4. In a bowl, mix ricotta, softened cream cheese, sour cream, and 1 cup of mozzarella until smooth.
5. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish. Layer half the pasta, half the meat sauce, then all the cheese mixture. Top with remaining pasta and sauce. Finish with mozzarella and Parmesan.
6. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 10–15 more minutes until golden and bubbly.
7. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley or basil.
Notes
Use al dente pasta to avoid mushy texture after baking.
Let the ziti rest after baking to firm up the layers.
Feel free to substitute the meat or use a vegetarian crumble for flexibility.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of dish
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 95mg