For holidays, potlucks, or any other special occasions, this baked ziti is the ultimate dish for crowd-feeding and crowd-pleasing. With an ample amount of lean beef and Italian sausage meat sauce, and layers of ricotta, Parmesan, and mozzarella, it’s likely to become a new tradition.
Makes 16 to 20 servings*
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
1 (16-ounce) box ziti
Salt, for pasta water
1 pound 90% lean ground beef
1 pound Italian sausage, uncased
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
5 1/2 cups marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought)
2 (15-ounce) containers ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese**
Fresh basil, chiffonade, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti until al dente, about 8 to 9 minutes. Drain, rinse with cool water, and set aside.
- To make the meat sauce, spray a wide-bottomed pot with nonstick cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. Add the beef and sausage and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking up the meat with a rubber spatula, until browned. Carefully drain any excess fat from the skillet.
- Add the garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper (if using) to the meat. Continue cooking for about 1 minute more, just until fragrant.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and pour in the marinara sauce. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove the pot from the heat. Add the cooked ziti directly to the pot and stir to thoroughly coat the noodles with the meat sauce.
- Place the ricotta, a scant 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning in a large bowl and mix until combined.
- To assemble, layer 1/3 of the sauced ziti into the prepared casserole dish. Drop half the ricotta mixture by the spoonful over the noodles, then gently spread it with the back of the spoon. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Repeat with another 1/3 of the sauced ziti, remaining ricotta, and 1/2 cup of mozzarella. Top with the last 1/3 of ziti. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and 1/4 cup of Parmesan evenly over the dish.
- Cover the dish with a sheet of aluminum foil. (Spray the bottom of the sheet lightly with nonstick cooking spray to prevent the cheese from sticking!) Transfer the dish to the middle rack of the oven.
- Bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 25 to 30 minutes more, until the top is lightly golden and the dish bubbles at the edges. Remove the dish from the oven. Allow to rest for at least 20 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil before serving, if desired.
*For feeding a smaller crowd, this recipe can be easily cut in half and baked in a 2-quart casserole dish.
**A mozzarella and provolone blend is even better if you can find it!
