Easy Baked Ziti

This Easy Baked Ziti is made with simple ingredients, full of flavor, and ready in less than an hour. Loaded with an easy meat sauce, tender pasta, and three types of cheese, this comfort dish is sure to be a dinnertime crowd-pleaser!

Comfort food is in full effect, friends.

October is here, which means warm sweaters, all of the pumpkin spice lattes that I can get my hands on, and easy comfort dishes.

And if I’m being honest, I’m all about comfort food year round. But, it just seems to taste even better come fall and winter. The hearty ingredients, cozy spices and warmth of the dishes just scream comfort food all around.

So I guess you can see where this is going, right?

I’m so excited to share one of my newest (and favorite) comfort food dishes that can be prepped and ready to go in less than an hour. Fast, fresh and flavorful, this hearty dish was made for those chilly days.

This Easy Baked Ziti is made with simple ingredients, full of flavor, and ready in less than an hour. Loaded with an easy meat sauce, tender pasta, and three types of cheese, this comfort dish is sure to be a dinnertime crowd-pleaser!

And if you love Italian food like I do, then this Easy Baked Ziti is sure to be a hit.

The name pretty much says it all. It’s easy to make (but you knew that was coming, right?), is prepared on the stove top and then finished in the oven. It’s saucy, cheesy, and oh-so good for all of you comfort-food-pasta-loving-cheese-fanatic-lovers out there. And that was a mouthful, pun intended!

And did I mention that this Easy Baked Ziti is a breeze to whip up? Because it sure is. And that’s what I’m all about, friends!

Simply prepare the ziti noodles according to the package directions, whip up the easy meat sauce, and stir together the cheese. Layer everything together and then pop it into the oven to let it work its magic. Easy peasy and so delicious!

So, if you’re on the hunt for that perfect, cozy fall dish to impress your family or hungry dinner guests, this Easy Baked Ziti is it! I guarantee you’ll love it just as much as me!

Looking for more easy main dishes? I’ve got you covered!

• Creamy Sausage and Mushroom Rigatoni
• Sweet Potato Chili Pasta
• One Pot Chicken Fajita Soup

Yields 6-8 servings

Easy Baked Ziti

This Easy Baked Ziti is made with simple ingredients, full of flavor, and ready in less than an hour. Loaded with an easy meat sauce, tender pasta, and three types of cheese, this comfort dish is sure to be a dinnertime crowd-pleaser!

15 minPrep Time

45 minCook Time

1 hrTotal Time

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Ingredients

• 12 ounces dry ziti or other small pasta
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 (24 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 (16 ounce) carton ricotta cheese
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a medium pot, cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
3. While pasta is cooking, brown and crumble ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain and return to skillet (wipe skillet clean of grease, if needed).
4. Add spaghetti sauce, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir and simmer over low heat for 2-3 minutes.
5. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, ricotta, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses. Stir to combine.
6. Add pasta to cheese mixture and toss to coat.
7. Spoon 1/3 of meat mixture onto bottom of prepared pan, followed by half of the pasta mixture. Repeat with another layer. Top with remaining meat sauce.
8. Cover dish with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes.
9. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and return to oven. Bake for 5-8 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
10. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
11. Serve immediately.
12. Enjoy!

Notes

Inspired by Taste of Home magazine - Fall 2014

7.8.1.2

449

https://www.pumpkinnspice.com/easy-baked-ziti/