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A cheesy scoop of baked ziti casserole.

Baked Ziti with Ground Beef

Melty cheese tops this oven baked ziti for a crowd-pleasing meal that is simple to make.
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8
Calories: 635kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 1 lb. ziti
  • Olive oil (to coat)
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • ½ lb ground Italian sausage
  • 1 small yellow onion
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper (to taste)
  • 2 jars marinara sauce
  • ½ cup Half and half
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup shredded provolone cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish.
  • Boil a large pot of salted water and add the ziti noodles. Cook them 2 less minutes than the package directs. Drain the pasta, and place into the casserole dish with a drizzle of olive oil.
  • In a deep large skillet heat a teaspoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Add onions, sausage, and ground beef, breaking meats apart and spreading them evenly in the pan with the spoon. Cook for several minutes until beef begins to brown. Stir and continue to cook until onions are softened and all pink is gone from the meat (about 4-5 minutes).
  • Add minced garlic and saute until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Drain excess fat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Add marinara sauces to the pan and bring to a simmer. Stir in half and half, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan cheese.
  • Pour the meat and tomato sauce mixture over the pasta and toss well in the casserole dish to combine. Layer on the shredded mozzarella and provolone cheeses.
  • Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake another 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted, browned, and casserole is bubbly. Top with fresh basil and serve hot.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container (or cover your casserole dish with plastic wrap) and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, reheating individual potions in the microwave or the entire dish in a 350 degree oven for ~20 minutes.
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword baked pasta casserole, baked pasta dish, baked ziti, ground beef and italian sausage, italian casserole

Nutrition

Calories: 635kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 610mg | Potassium: 449mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 421IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 346mg | Iron: 3mg