Easy Baked Ziti Recipe with Ground Beef

Looking for an easy baked ziti recipe with ground beef for a simple family dinner?

This cheesy baked ziti combines tender pasta, a hearty ground beef and tomato sauce, and plenty of melted mozzarella cheese for a comforting meal that’s easy to put together.

This baked ziti has been a go-to dinner for my family for years. It’s filling, easy to prepare, and makes enough to feed the whole family with leftovers to enjoy later.

It’s also one of my favorite meals to make for meal trains. As a military family, we’ve had plenty of opportunities to provide meals for other families during busy or challenging seasons.

Baked ziti is easy to prepare, travels well, and gives the family receiving it a hearty dinner that can simply be heated and served.

Serve it with garlic bread, a simple salad, or roasted vegetables for an easy family meal.

Why You’ll Love This Baked Ziti

• Easy to make: This baked ziti uses simple ingredients and comes together without a lot of complicated prep, making it a great option for busy weeknights.
• Hearty and filling: Ground beef, pasta, tomato sauce, and plenty of mozzarella cheese make this a satisfying dinner for the whole family.
• Great for feeding a family: This recipe makes a generous 9×13-inch pan, so there’s plenty to serve at dinner with the possibility of leftovers for the next day.
• Make-ahead friendly: Assemble the baked ziti ahead of time and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to bake it.
• Easy to customize: You can swap the ground beef for Italian sausage, ground turkey, or another meat your family enjoys.
• Perfect for sharing: Baked ziti travels well and is an easy meal to prepare for a meal train, a family welcoming a new baby, or someone who could use a comforting homemade dinner.

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need

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You don’t need any special equipment to make baked ziti, but having a few basic kitchen tools makes preparation easier:

• Large deep skillet or jumbo cooker: You’ll need plenty of room to brown the ground beef and combine it with the pasta sauce. I use my jumbo cooker for recipes like this because it gives me enough space to stir everything together without making a mess.
• Large pot: Use a large pot to boil the ziti until it’s tender.
• Colander: You’ll need this to drain the pasta before adding it to the meat sauce.
• Small skillet: I like to sauté the sliced onions separately before stirring them into the ground beef and sauce.
• 9×13-inch baking dish: A standard 9×13-inch baking dish works well for assembling and baking the ziti.
• Cutting board and knife: These are helpful for slicing the onion before sautéing it.

Ingredients You’ll Need

This easy baked ziti with ground beef uses simple ingredients that are easy to find at the grocery store.

Salt: This is optional. Keep in mind that the cheese and pasta sauce already contain salt, so taste and season according to your preference.

Ziti pasta: Ziti holds up well in baked pasta dishes and gives the meat sauce and melted cheese plenty of places to settle. I usually use about 1/2 to 2/3 of a box because my family prefers a meatier, saucier baked ziti. You can add more pasta if your family prefers.

Ground beef: I use 2 pounds of ground beef to make this baked ziti hearty and filling.

Spaghetti sauce: Using jarred spaghetti sauce keeps this recipe simple and saves time on busy nights. You’ll need two 24-ounce jars.

Mozzarella cheese: A generous layer of shredded mozzarella creates the cheesy, melted topping that makes baked ziti so good.

Onion: I sauté sliced onion separately until softened before adding it to the ground beef and sauce mixture.

Olive oil: A small amount of olive oil is used to sauté the onion.

Black pepper: Adds a little extra seasoning to the finished dish.

Save this Baked Ziti recipe for later:

Easy Baked Ziti Recipe with Ground Beef

Ingredients: 

• 1 box of Ziti noodles
• 2 (24 oz.) jars of spaghetti sauce
• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 medium onion
• 1 lb. bag of shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• Optional: 1 tsp. salt

Note: I usually use about 1/2 to 2/3 of the box of ziti because my family prefers more meat sauce and fewer noodles. If you prefer a pasta-heavy baked ziti, add more of the cooked ziti until you reach the consistency you like.

How to Make Baked Ziti with Ground Beef

Step 1: Brown the Ground Beef

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Add the ground beef to a large, deep skillet and cook over medium heat until browned and cooked through. Drain any excess grease if needed.

Step 2: Add the Pasta Sauce

Pour both jars of spaghetti sauce into the skillet with the cooked ground beef. Stir until the beef and sauce are well combined, then reduce the heat and allow the meat sauce to simmer on low while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

Step 3: Sauté the Onion

Thinly slice the onion. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet and sauté the onion until softened and lightly caramelized.

Add the cooked onions to the ground beef and sauce mixture and stir to combine.

Step 4: Cook the Ziti

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the ziti and cook for about 10–11 minutes, or according to the package directions, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking.

Drain the pasta well.

Step 5: Combine the Pasta and Meat Sauce

Add the cooked ziti to the meat sauce and gently stir until the pasta is evenly coated.

Step 6: Assemble the Baked Ziti

Transfer the pasta and meat sauce mixture to a 9×13-inch baking dish and spread it into an even layer.

Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the top. Add black pepper and salt, if desired.

Step 7: Bake

Bake uncovered for 20–30 minutes, or until the baked ziti is heated through and the mozzarella is melted, bubbly, and beginning to brown.

Allow the baked ziti to rest for a few minutes before serving.

Tips for the Best Baked Ziti

• Don’t overcook the pasta. The ziti will continue cooking in the oven, so cook it just until tender according to the package directions.
• Adjust the pasta-to-sauce ratio. I prefer a meatier, saucier baked ziti, so I usually don’t use the entire box of pasta. Start with less ziti and add more until the mixture looks right for your family.
• Let the meat sauce simmer while you prep. Keeping the ground beef and spaghetti sauce over low heat while you prepare the onion and pasta gives the flavors time to come together.
• Use plenty of mozzarella. Spread the cheese evenly over the entire baking dish so you get melted, bubbly cheese with every serving.
• Bake uncovered for a golden top. I like to bake the ziti uncovered so the mozzarella can melt and lightly brown. If the cheese begins browning more than you’d like, loosely cover the dish with foil toward the end of the baking time.
• Let it rest before serving. Give the baked ziti a few minutes to cool and settle after removing it from the oven. This makes it easier to scoop and serve.

Can You Make Baked Ziti Ahead of Time?

Yes! Baked ziti is a great make-ahead dinner, especially when you know you’ll have a busy evening and want to get some of the meal prep out of the way earlier in the day.

Prepare the ground beef and sauce, cook the pasta, and assemble the baked ziti in the baking dish as directed. Cover the dish tightly and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake.

When it’s time for dinner, remove the baked ziti from the refrigerator while the oven preheats. Because the dish is starting out cold, it may need a little additional baking time to become hot throughout.

You can also prepare the meat sauce ahead of time and store it separately in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to make dinner, cook the ziti, combine it with the prepared meat sauce, add the mozzarella, and bake.

How to Store and Reheat Baked Ziti

Baked ziti makes great leftovers, so don’t worry if you have extra after dinner.

Refrigerator: Allow leftover baked ziti to cool, then transfer it to an airtight container or cover the baking dish tightly. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.

Reheating: Individual portions can be reheated in the microwave until heated through. To reheat a larger amount, cover the baking dish with foil and warm it in a 350°F oven until the center is hot.

Freezer: Baked ziti can also be frozen for a future meal. Place it in a freezer-safe container or wrap the baking dish securely before freezing. For the best quality, use frozen baked ziti within about 2–3 months.

When you’re ready to serve it, thaw the baked ziti overnight in the refrigerator and reheat until it reaches 165°F in the center.

Why Baked Ziti Is Great for Meal Trains

Baked ziti has been one of my go-to meal train meals for years. As a military family, we’ve had many opportunities to bring meals to other families during busy or difficult seasons, including deployments, moves, new babies, and other times when having dinner taken care of can be a big help.

This is one of my favorite recipes to bring because it’s simple, filling, and easy to transport. A 9×13-inch pan can feed a family, and the familiar combination of pasta, ground beef, tomato sauce, and cheese makes it a good option when you aren’t sure exactly what everyone in the family likes.

You can also prepare the baked ziti ahead of time, which makes it easier to plan when you’re participating in a meal train. Deliver it already baked and ready to reheat, or coordinate with the family and bring it assembled with simple baking instructions.

If you’re taking baked ziti to another family, consider including an easy side such as garlic bread or a bagged salad to turn it into a complete dinner without adding much extra prep.

Is Baked Ziti Kid-Friendly?

Baked ziti is a great kid-friendly dinner because it combines familiar ingredients like pasta, ground beef, tomato sauce, and melted cheese in one hearty meal.

It’s also easy to adjust based on what your kids enjoy. If your family prefers a milder flavor, choose a simple pasta sauce and keep the seasonings light. You can also chop the onions into smaller pieces or leave them out of individual portions for kids who aren’t fans of onions.

One reason this baked ziti has remained a family favorite in our house is that it’s filling without being complicated. Add garlic bread, fruit, a salad, or your family’s favorite vegetable on the side for an easy dinner.

What to Serve With Baked Ziti

Baked ziti is hearty enough to serve on its own, but adding a simple side can turn it into a complete family dinner. Here are a few easy ideas:

• Garlic bread or breadsticks: Perfect for serving alongside the extra meat sauce.
• Green salad: A simple tossed salad adds something fresh alongside the cheesy pasta.
• Roasted vegetables: Broccoli, zucchini, asparagus, or green beans are all easy options.
• Sautéed vegetables: Mushrooms, spinach, or zucchini can be prepared quickly while the baked ziti is in the oven.
• Fresh fruit: This is an especially easy option when serving baked ziti to kids or when you need to get dinner on the table quickly.

For a meal train, I like keeping the sides simple. Garlic bread and a ready-to-serve salad are easy to deliver with the baked ziti and don’t require the receiving family to do much additional preparation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different pasta instead of ziti?

Yes. If you don’t have ziti, another short tubular pasta such as penne or rigatoni can work well. Keep an eye on the package cooking time since different pasta shapes may cook at slightly different rates.

Can I use Italian sausage instead of ground beef?

Yes. Italian sausage is a great substitute for the ground beef and will give the baked ziti a different flavor. You can also use ground turkey or chicken if that’s what your family prefers.

Should I cover baked ziti while baking?

I bake this baked ziti uncovered so the mozzarella can melt, bubble, and lightly brown on top. If the cheese starts getting too brown before the center is heated through, loosely cover the baking dish with foil for the remaining baking time.

How do you keep baked ziti from drying out?

Make sure the pasta is well coated with sauce and avoid overcooking it before it goes into the oven. I also prefer a saucier baked ziti, which is why I don’t always use the entire box of pasta in this recipe.

How do I know when baked ziti is done?

The baked ziti is ready when the sauce is hot throughout and the mozzarella on top is completely melted and beginning to brown. If you’re reheating previously cooked baked ziti, heat it to an internal temperature of 165°F.

Can I double this baked ziti recipe?

Yes. If you’re feeding a large group or want to prepare an extra pan for later, you can double the recipe and divide it between two 9×13-inch baking dishes. This can also be helpful when making one pan for your family and another to deliver for a meal train.

More Easy Pasta Recipes

If your family enjoys this easy baked ziti, try one of these pasta recipes next:

• Easy Cheesy Baked Rigatoni – Another hearty baked pasta dinner that’s easy to serve on busy nights.
• Easy Cheesy Meat Lasagna – A comforting, cheesy lasagna that’s perfect for a family dinner.
• Casarecce Pasta Primavera – A pasta option loaded with colorful vegetables.
• Easy Cheesy Baked Spaghetti – An easy baked spaghetti recipe for another family-friendly pasta night.