Baked Ziti Ground Beef Mozzarella (Printable)

Tender ziti layered with savory beef, tomato sauce, and melted cheeses for a classic Italian-American main.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 lb ziti pasta

→ Meat

02 - 1 lb ground beef (80-85% lean)

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce

05 - 24 oz jar tomato pasta sauce (marinara or tomato basil)
06 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
07 - 1 tsp dried oregano
08 - 1 tsp dried basil
09 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
10 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Cheese

11 - 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
12 - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 1 cup ricotta cheese

→ Other

14 - 2 tbsp olive oil
15 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Boil salted water in a large pot. Cook ziti until al dente, about 7–8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook onion until softened, 3–4 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional 1 minute.
04 - Add ground beef to skillet, breaking it apart. Cook until browned with no pink remaining, about 7 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
05 - Stir in tomato paste, tomato sauce, oregano, basil, crushed red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes to meld flavors.
06 - In a bowl, mix ricotta cheese with half of the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper.
07 - Spread half of the cooked ziti evenly in the baking dish. Top with half of the meat sauce, then add dollops of half the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese.
08 - Layer remaining ziti, remaining meat sauce, remaining ricotta mixture, and finish with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
09 - Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
10 - Remove foil and continue baking for 10–15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
11 - Let the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in just over an hour and tastes like you've been cooking all day.
  • The layers of ricotta, sauce, and cheese create pockets of richness that make every bite feel indulgent.
  • You can assemble it hours ahead and bake it when guests arrive, which is basically magic.
02 -
  • Don't cook the pasta all the way through—it will continue cooking in the oven and overcooking it ruins the texture.
  • If your sauce looks too thin, the moisture from the ricotta and mozzarella will add liquid as things heat, so trust the process.
  • Let it rest those 10 minutes; it's the difference between a casserole that holds together and one that slides onto the plate.
03 -
  • If you notice the top browning too fast, cover it loosely with foil for the final few minutes of baking.
  • Mixing half of the Parmesan into the ricotta instead of saving it all for the top creates deeper flavor throughout instead of just on the surface.

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