This delicious Easy Cheesy Baked Ziti with Ground Beef Recipe is perfect to serve for dinner tonight!
Add this easy cheesy recipe to your recipe collection. Serve with a side salad, breadsticks, and sweet tea!
Are you a busy mom looking for a quick, easy, and delicious recipe that the whole family will enjoy?
This Baked Ziti Pasta recipe is perfect for what you are looking for! I love the variety of pasta recipes out there and this is one pasta recipe that you must add to the list of favorites!
100+ Easy Recipes for Busy Moms
Baked Ziti has become a favorite of ours over the last few years!
As a mom of three and a military spouse, I look for quick and easy dinners that can easily serve our family of five that will include leftovers to enjoy the next day.
I have a very hungry husband that works super hard and comes home hungry every day!
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When I have visitors over or if I have to make meals for families in need, this Baked Ziti is my go-to recipe!
Often times, meal trains are set up for military spouses having babies.
Meal trains are also set up when a military spouse needs help with meals for her family when their spouse is deployed, for example when a kid gets sick or has to be in the hospital.
This recipe is perfect to serve when you sign up for a meal train!
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!
What is ziti pasta?
Ziti pasta is a type of Italian pasta that is long and tubular in shape. It is typically made from durum wheat flour and water, and it can be either dried or fresh.
Ziti pasta is commonly used in baked pasta dishes, as well as in soups and stews.
Can you freeze Baked Ziti?
Yes, you can freeze baked ziti.
Just be sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.
When you’re ready to eat it, thaw the baked ziti in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat it in a 350-degree oven until warmed through.
What can you serve with Baked Ziti?
If you’re looking for ideas on what to serve with Baked Ziti, here are some suggestions:
Garlic bread
This classic side dish goes well with any Italian meal. The bread is usually toasted and then topped with garlic butter or garlic olive oil.
Salad
A simple green salad is a refreshing side dish that can balance out the richness of Baked Ziti. Add your favorite toppings, such as croutons, cheese, or nuts.
Roasted vegetables
Roasted vegetables are a healthy and flavorful addition. Try roasted broccoli, Brussels sprouts, or cauliflower.
Sautéed mushrooms
Sautéed mushrooms make a delicious topping for baked ziti. They can be cooked in butter, olive oil, or your favorite sauce.
Should I cover my Baked Ziti when I make it?
If you’re making Baked Ziti, you might be wondering whether or not you should cover it while it’s baking.
There isn’t a definitive answer, as some people prefer to cover their Baked Ziti while others do not. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference.
If you do choose to cover your baked ziti while it’s baking, make sure to use foil or another type of lid that won’t stick to the cheese or pasta.
You don’t want your baked ziti to be ruined by a stuck-on lid!
I personally do NOT cover my Baked Ziti when I make it.
Can I use meat other than ground beef in Baked Ziti?
If you’re looking for something different than ground beef in your Baked Ziti, there are plenty of other options to choose from.
Try using Italian sausage, ground turkey, or even lamb. All of these meats will add a unique flavor to your dish that will make it stand out from the rest.
Go ahead and experiment with different meats in your recipe and see what you like best!
Easy Cheesy Baked Ziti Recipe
Supplies:
- Deep Skillet (This Jumbo cooker is my favorite! I own 2 of them and use them almost daily!)
- Measuring Spoons
- Spatula
- Cutting Board (for onions)
- Knife (for slicing onions)
- Small Skillet (for sauteeing onions)
- Large Pot (for boiling water and ziti noodles)
- Colander
- Mixing Spoon for cooking
- 13X9 Baking Dish
Ingredients:
- 1 box of Ziti noodles
- 2 (24 oz.) jars of spaghetti sauce
- 2 lbs. ground beef
- 1 onion
- 1 lb. bag of shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- Optional: 1 tsp. salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Brown ground beef in a large deep skillet.
Add two jars of spaghetti sauce to the beef.
Stir the sauce and the beef mixture around until combined well.
Simmer on low heat.
Using a cutting board and knife, cut the onion into thin slices.
In a small skillet, saute the onions 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 pasta noodles and boil for 10-11 minutes, stirring well so the noodles don’t stick together.
Drain the noodles using a colander.
Add desired amount of Ziti noodles to beef mixture.
Note: I usually use about 2/3 to 1/2 box of the Ziti noodles. I prefer more meat sauce over noodles – add more noodles if you like to have more noodles in your recipe!
Mix the noodles into the meat sauce.
Scoop mixture into a 13 X 9 baking pan.
Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top until covered.
Sprinkle with pepper and salt if desired for added flavor. Note: The cheese does contain salt, keep that in mind when creating your recipe!
Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until cheese is slightly browned.
Let us know how your Baked Ziti turned out! I hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as we do!
Easy Cheesy Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 1 box of Ziti noodles
- 2 (24 oz.) jars of spaghetti sauce
- 2.25 lbs. ground beef
- 1 onion
- 1 lb. mozzarella cheese
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- Optional: 1 tsp. salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Brown ground beef in a large deep skillet.
Add two jars of spaghetti sauce to the beef.
Stir the sauce and the beef mixture around until combined well.
Simmer on low heat.
Using a cutting board and knife, cut the onion into thin slices.
In a small skillet, saute the onions 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 pasta noodles and boil for 10-11 minutes, stirring well so the noodles don't stick together.
Drain the noodles using a colander.
Add desired amount of Ziti noodles to beef mixture.
Mix the noodles into the meat sauce.
Scoop mixture into a 13 X 9 baking pan.
Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top until covered.
Sprinkle with pepper and salt if desired 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!
We would love this recipe, such a comfort food. Thank you for sharing on #omhgww, I hope you will join us again the next week to share again!! Have a great weekend!
Karren