Simple Baked Ziti (Print-Friendly Version)
Comforting pasta bake with meat, sauce, and gooey cheese. It's done in 50 minutes and perfect for any night.
# Ingredients:
→ Main Ingredients
01 -
1/2 pound lean ground beef
02 -
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (save 1/2 cup for topping)
03 -
1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce (Primal Kitchen or similar)
04 -
1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
05 -
12 ounces of any pasta you like
06 -
1/2 pound mild bulk Italian sausage
→ Optional Toppings
07 -
Parmesan cheese
08 -
Fresh basil leaves
→ Optional Vegetables
09 -
3-4 cups chopped vegetables (like broccoli, onion, spinach, or zucchini)
# Steps:
01 -
Heat your oven to 350°F and lightly coat a 9x13-inch pan with some nonstick spray.
02 -
In a skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage and ground beef. If you're adding veggies, toss them in while cooking. When done, spoon out the extra grease.
03 -
In a big pot of salted water, boil pasta until it's just firm to the bite. Drain and then spread it into the greased pan.
04 -
Stir together the pasta, cooked meats, marinara, Italian spices, and 1 cup of cheese. Pour it all back into the dish and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.
05 -
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Then, bake uncovered for an extra 5-10 minutes until the cheese bubbles and melts.
# Notes:
01 -
Switch to gluten-free pasta to keep it gluten-free.
02 -
It freezes well—split into two smaller pans if you'd like.
03 -
Great with extra veggies added!