Best Baked Ziti
Best Baked Ziti
Italian Pasta Casserole loaded with cheese, ground beef, seasonings and sauce. Makes the best leftovers too.
Equipment
- large skillet and large pot
- large deep baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 lb ziti or penne pasta
- salt to flavor pasta water
- 2 TBS cooking oil
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 (24oz) jars pasta or marinara sauce (your favorite)
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded (DIVIDED)
- 1 cup cottage cheese (or you can substitute ricotta cheese)
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 TBS dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray a large deep 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Prepare pasta per instructions on back of package for al dente. Season water with 1-2 TBS salt when water comes to a boil to flavor pasta. Drain cooked pasta and place back in pot.
- While pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add cooking oil and heat. Add in and stir onion and cook for 2 minutes until softened. Add and stir garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds. Add in ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Drain off any excess grease.
- Stir in pasta sauce, italian seasoning and salt to taste. Turn off burner and pour into drained cooked pasta and stir to combine.
- In a medium bowl combine 1 cup mozzarella cheese, cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, eggs, parsley and black pepper.
- Pour 1/2 of the pasta ground beef mixture into bottom of prepared baking dish. Dollop 1/2 of the cheese egg mixture over the pasta beef mixture and spread evenly. Sprinkle with 1/2 a cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat layering with the rest of pasta ground beef mixture, the rest of cheese egg mixture evenly spread over ground beef. Sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Place in preheated oven uncovered for 20-25 minutes until bubbly and cheese has melted and is golden in color. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Top with fresh parsley. Enjoy.