Baked Ziti Ground Beef Mozzarella

There's something about pulling a bubbling baked ziti out of the oven that feels like an instant win in the kitchen. My sister called one Tuesday afternoon asking what I was making for dinner, and when I told her baked ziti, she literally drove over uninvited—that's how much she loves this dish. It's the kind of recipe that tastes like you've been cooking all day, even though you've barely been in the kitchen an hour. This is the casserole that turns a regular weeknight into something worth remembering.

I learned to make this properly when my neighbor Maria, who grew up in Naples, watched me assemble it one afternoon. She gently corrected how I was layering the ricotta and showed me that it should be dolloped, not spread—that small change meant pockets of creamy richness throughout instead of a dense middle layer. After that first time doing it her way, I understood why this dish had been in her family for generations.

Ingredients

• Ziti pasta (450g): Use a sturdy, thicker pasta shape that won't get mushy under the weight of sauce and cheese—ziti holds up beautifully and catches sauce in its tubes.
• Ground beef (500g, 80-85% lean): The lean-to-fat ratio matters here; too lean and it gets chalky, too fatty and you'll have grease pooling on top.
• Yellow onion (1 medium, finely chopped): Diced small so it dissolves into the sauce and sweetens it naturally.
• Garlic (3 cloves, minced): Fresh is essential—jarred garlic tastes tired in long-cooked dishes.
• Tomato pasta sauce (700ml jar): A quality jarred sauce saves time without sacrificing depth; look for ones with few ingredients.
• Tomato paste (2 tbsp): This concentrated hit of umami makes the sauce taste like it's been simmering for hours.
• Dried oregano and basil (1 tsp each): Dried herbs release their oils when heated, becoming more flavorful than fresh here.
• Red pepper flakes (½ tsp, optional): A whisper of heat balances the richness and adds complexity.
• Mozzarella cheese (300g shredded): The main blanket on top—use whole milk mozzarella for better melting and stretch.
• Parmesan cheese (120g grated): The sharpness cuts through the richness and adds a crust to the top.
• Ricotta cheese (250g): This creates creamy layers; don't skip it or you'll lose the texture contrast.
• Olive oil (2 tbsp): The cooking medium that gets the aromatics going.
• Fresh basil (for garnish, optional): A handful torn at the end brings brightness and reminds you this came from a kitchen, not a factory.

Instructions

Preheat and prepare:

Get your oven to 190°C (375°F) and coat a 9x13-inch baking dish generously with butter or oil—this prevents sticking and helps the bottom layer get golden.

Cook the pasta:

Boil salted water and add ziti, fishing a piece out after 6 minutes to check for doneness. You want it slightly firm—it'll soften more in the oven, and overcooked pasta becomes mushy in a casserole.

Build the flavor base:

Heat olive oil in your skillet and let the onions go soft and golden, about 4 minutes, then add garlic just long enough to wake it up. This foundation makes everything taste richer.

Brown the beef:

Push the ground beef into the hot pan and let it sit undisturbed for a minute before breaking it up—this gives it color instead of steaming it into gray pieces. You're looking for no pink remaining and some caramelized bits at the bottom of the pan.

Marry the sauce:

Stir in the tomato paste first, letting it toast slightly for a minute, then add the jarred sauce, herbs, and seasonings. Let it bubble gently for 5 minutes so everything becomes one sauce instead of separate ingredients.

Prepare the ricotta layer:

Mix the ricotta in a bowl with half the Parmesan and a pinch of salt and pepper—this prevents it from sinking to the bottom and gets incorporated throughout instead.

Start layering:

Spread half the cooked ziti across the bottom of your dish, then half the meat sauce, then dollop (don't spread) half the ricotta mixture, then half the mozzarella. Picture what you want in each bite.

Finish the layers:

Repeat with the remaining ziti, sauce, ricotta, and finally both remaining mozzarella and Parmesan on top. The top layer is your canvas.

First bake under foil:

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes—the foil traps steam and lets everything heat through without browning too fast. You're steaming it gently at this stage.

Second bake uncovered:

Remove the foil and bake another 10-15 minutes until the cheese bubbles at the edges and turns golden. You'll smell when it's close—that toasted cheese aroma is your signal.

Rest before serving:

Let it sit for 10 minutes out of the oven; this helps it set so it doesn't fall apart on the plate. Those 10 minutes are hard to wait through, but they matter.

Save

The first time I made this for my partner's family dinner, his mother—who's a serious cook—came back for seconds without asking what went into it. That quiet approval meant more than any compliment; it meant the dish tasted honest and felt like home. Baked ziti has this magic quality where it feels both elegant enough for guests and comforting enough to eat alone with a fork straight from the dish.

Why This Becomes a Weeknight Staple

Once you've made this once, you'll find yourself planning it in your head on random days. It's the casserole that doesn't require you to time seventeen things to finish at once; everything goes into the dish and the oven handles the rest. There's freedom in that kind of cooking, especially when you're tired or distracted.

The Make-Ahead Advantage

Assemble the entire casserole the night before, cover it with foil, and bake straight from the refrigerator the next evening—just add 5-10 minutes to the baking time since it's cold. I've done this dozens of times for busy weeks, and honestly, the flavors seem to deepen overnight as everything mingles in the fridge. It's the kind of planning that makes you feel organized without actually being organized.

Ways to Make It Your Own

Once you've made this base version a few times, you'll start seeing it as a canvas. Sauté sliced mushrooms or bell peppers and fold them into the sauce for earthiness and sweetness, or swap half the ground beef for Italian sausage if you want more herbs and spice already built in. The structure holds up to these changes beautifully.

• A handful of fresh spinach stirred into the sauce at the end adds color and nutrition without changing the dish's soul.
• A sprinkle of panko breadcrumbs mixed with melted butter over the top before the final bake creates crunch that everyone loves.
• If you're making this for a crowd, the recipe doubles perfectly in two 9x13-inch dishes or one larger format.

Save

This is the recipe that taught me that simple ingredients cooked with care taste infinitely better than complicated recipes made hastily. Make this for people you love, and watch how it brings everyone to the table.

Recipe FAQs

→ How do I prevent the pasta from becoming mushy?

Cook the ziti until just al dente, about 7-8 minutes, then drain promptly to avoid overcooking. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven during baking.

→ Can I substitute the ground beef with another protein?

Yes, Italian sausage or a blend of beef and pork are great alternatives that add extra flavor and richness to the sauce.

→ What cheeses work best in this dish?

Combining mozzarella, ricotta, and Parmesan creates a balanced creamy and savory taste, with mozzarella providing gooey meltiness and Parmesan adding sharpness.

→ Is it possible to prepare this dish ahead of time?

Absolutely. Assemble the layers up to one day in advance, keep covered in the refrigerator, and bake fresh before serving.

→ How can I add more vegetables to the dish?

Consider sautéing bell peppers, mushrooms, or spinach with the onions and garlic for added flavor and nutrition.