Baked Ziti has become a favorite of ours over the last few years! In fact, when I have visitors over or if I have to make meals for families in need, this is my go-to-recipe. The Easy Cheesy Baked Ziti recipe is so easy and perfect for busy moms out there if you need a dinner idea that the whole family will enjoy! If you follow this recipe, you’ll be sure to have plenty to eat and most likely, a little leftover for the next night! Do you like to freeze meals? Divide this recipe in half and freeze half for another day.
Related: List of 50+ Dinner Ideas for Busy Moms
Here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredients:
- 1 box of Ziti noodles
- 2 jars of spaghetti sauce
- 2.25 lbs. ground beef
- 1 onion
- 1 lb. mozzarella cheese
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. black pepper
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Brown ground beef in a large deep skillet. I use my favorite jumbo skillet when I make this recipe!
- Add two jars of spaghetti sauce to the beef and stir well.
- Simmer on low heat.
- Cut onion into thin slices. In a small skillet, saute with olive oil until onions are caramelized.
- Pour onions into the beef mixture and stir until mixed.
- In a large pot, boil two quarts of water.
- Add Ziti noodles and boil for 10-11 minutes, stirring well so the noodles don’t stick together.
- Drain.
- Add desired amount of Ziti noodles to beef mixture and mix together well.
- Scoop mixture into a 13 X 9 baking pan
.
- Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top until covered.
- Sprinkle with pepper for added flavor.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until cheese is slightly browned.
More great recipes:
- Cheesy Baked Spaghetti
- Bacon Macaroni and Cheese Muffins
- Cheesy Mexican Casserole
- Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread
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oh yum— and easy–to do too–I think I would throw on pepperroni in so I know those kiddos of mine would eat it up– thanks — do you mine if I pin this, oh I see your pin clip so I guess its way ok thanks again
Looks delicious! I love a tasty & easy dinner.
(Easy Cheesy Baked Ziti Recipe) I really like this good recipe, I did not have one for this either. Will make this real soon for my husband and I.
I am making this tonight. I love recipes that look easy and I can follow. The ingredients are easy to find in my cupboard all ready.
Looks yummy…I would use ground seitan or Boca…
I’ve always wanted to try to make this! This recipe seems easier enough to follow
I will definitely try it 
LOOKS AMAZING~ I will definitely be trying it!
MMMMM I love Ziti – looks delicious
I’m so happy to find this. We’re tired of the same old pasta dishes in my household… and we love “cheesy” dinners…. Going to try this before the week is over!!
We have monthly potlucks at my work. This will be perfect to try at the next one!
Made this last night for the whole family and the LOVED it!!! Easy and delicious I am definitely adding this to my cookbook….
Thank you for sharing! I”m so glad you enjoyed it!
The recipe sounded good. I was hesitant to use bottled sauce and I was right. It was terribly bland and flavorless. My advice is to make your own sauce. It’ll turn out much better.
(You have to add a ton of seasonings on your own if you use jarred sauce.) I like ricotta in my ziti also. This doesn’t really seem like a ziti recipe to me!
I was wondering how you would go about freezing it should I bake first let come to room temperature and freeze? And how would you thaw and reheat this meal?
My kiddo’s would love that it has meat and that its cheesy! There two favorites! It looks so good! I think I will make this tonight!
Oh my goodness! This looks absolutely delicious! And I like how easy it is to make it. I am going to give this a try! Thanks for sharing!
Easy baked pasta
How many people it feeds and can it be with out meat,onion in the ziti?
It can feed quite a bit. I don’t always use the entire box of noodles in the recipe, so in this case, you could leave out the meat and onion and just use the noodles and sauce. It still makes a large pan of ziti!