Description
Indulge in this hearty, restaurant-quality baked ziti that is perfect for large families. This comforting dish features tender ziti pasta tossed in a robust, meaty sauce of ground beef and turkey sausage, then layered with creamy ricotta and gooey mozzarella. Baked to perfection, the top develops a beautiful, golden-brown cheese crust that provides the perfect texture contrast. It is a foolproof main course that is guaranteed to please a crowd without requiring hours of effort in the kitchen.
Ingredients
1 lb Ziti pasta
1 lb Ground beef (85/15)
1 lb Turkey sausage (casings removed)
24 oz Marinara sauce
15 oz Ricotta cheese
3 cups Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
3 cloves Garlic (minced)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook ziti for two minutes less than package instructions.
Brown ground beef and turkey sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat until fully cooked.
Drain excess fat, add garlic and marinara sauce, and simmer for five minutes.
Combine ricotta with one cup of mozzarella in a bowl.
Spread a thin layer of sauce in a baking dish, add pasta, top with meat sauce and cheese mixture.
Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and parmesan over the top.
Bake for 40 minutes until bubbly and golden.
Notes
Par-boiling the pasta is crucial so it does not turn mushy in the oven. You can substitute penne if ziti is unavailable. Freshly shredded mozzarella melts much better than pre-shredded varieties.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 40
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 950mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 110mg