Description
Ultimate Million Dollar Baked Ziti is a comforting Italian-American casserole featuring layers of perfectly cooked ziti pasta, rich meat sauce made from ground beef and Italian sausage, creamy ricotta cheese mixture, and melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Baked to bubbly, golden perfection, this dish is perfect for family dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 pound ziti pasta
Meat Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 30 ounces tomato sauce (2 cans of 15 ounces each)
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Cheese Mixture and Topping
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Optional fresh basil (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to get it ready for baking the ziti.
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ziti pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Brown Meat: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and Italian sausage. Cook until the meat is browned and cooked through, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet with the browned meat. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion becomes translucent and fragrant.
- Make Sauce: Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, dried basil, dried oregano, salt, and pepper into the meat mixture. Let it simmer gently for 10 minutes to meld the flavors.
- Prepare Ricotta Mixture: In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, the large egg, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Mix well until the mixture is smooth and well blended.
- Assemble Layers: In a baking dish, spread half of the meat sauce over the bottom. Add half of the cooked ziti pasta on top of the sauce. Dollop the ricotta cheese mixture evenly over the pasta, then sprinkle half of the shredded mozzarella.
- Repeat Layers: Repeat with the remaining meat sauce, pasta, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella cheese.
- Top and Cover: Finish by spreading the remaining meat sauce on top, then sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and all of the grated Parmesan cheese over the surface. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
- Bake Covered: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake covered for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and heat through.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly, melted, and golden brown on top.
- Rest and Serve: Let the baked ziti cool for a few minutes after baking. Garnish with fresh basil if desired, then serve warm and enjoy.
Notes
- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese for best flavor and melting.
- For a spicier meat sauce, add red pepper flakes to taste.
- The recipe can be made ahead and refrigerated; bake it fresh just before serving.
- Substitute ground turkey for a leaner meat option.
- Adding a layer of sautéed spinach or mushrooms can add extra veggies to the dish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 27g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
Keywords: baked ziti, Italian casserole, pasta bake, comfort food, ricotta, mozzarella, meat sauce
