Description
This Million Dollar Baked Ziti is the ultimate comfort food, featuring a savory meat sauce, perfectly cooked pasta, and a secret, ridiculously creamy cheese layer made from ricotta, cream cheese, and sour cream tucked in the middle. It’s a rich, hearty, and satisfying crowd-pleaser that’s perfect for family dinners and potlucks.
Ingredients
1 lb (450g) Ziti pasta
1 lb (450g) Lean ground beef
1 large Yellow onion, diced
3–4 cloves Garlic, minced
24 oz jar Your favorite marinara sauce
1 tbsp Dried Italian seasoning
1 tsp Salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp Black pepper, or to taste
15 oz (425g) Whole milk ricotta cheese
8 oz (225g) Cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup Sour cream
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup Shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the ziti and cook until al dente (about 1-2 minutes less than package directions). Drain and set aside
- While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart. Drain off any excess fat
- Add the diced onion to the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant
- Pour in the marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes
- In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, softened cream cheese, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella, and chopped parsley. Mix until smooth
- Spread half of the cooked ziti into the bottom of the prepared baking dish
- Dollop the entire cheese mixture over the pasta and spread it into an even layer
- Top the cheese layer with the remaining pasta
- Pour the meat sauce evenly over the top layer of pasta, ensuring it’s completely covered
- Sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce
- Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and starting to turn golden brow
- Remove from the oven and let it rest for at least 10-15 minutes before serving. This allows it to set for easier slicing
Notes
Slightly undercook the pasta to al dente as it will continue cooking in the oven.
For the creamiest result, use full-fat dairy products (ricotta, cream cheese, sour cream).
Shredding your own block of mozzarella cheese will result in a better melt compared to pre-shredded varieties.
Season every component: salt the pasta water, and taste the meat sauce and cheese filling before assembling.
For a vegetarian version, omit the meat and bulk up the sauce with sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, or spinach.
You can substitute ground beef with ground turkey, chicken, or Italian sausage.
If you don’t have ziti, penne or rigatoni are excellent substitutes.
For a little heat, add 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the meat sauce.
The entire casserole can be assembled up to 2 days in advance, covered, and refrigerated before baking. You may need to add 10-15 minutes to the bake time.
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of casserole
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 1100mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 115mg