Make-Ahead Cheesy Baked Ziti Recipe

Don’t have a lot of time to prepare food this week? Here’s a make-ahead cheesy baked ziti recipe for you! I learned about this incredibly delicious dish from Natashas Kitchen. It’s super easy to make and doesn’t require a lot of ingredients. This meal is perfect for a lunch or dinner meal for your whole family. Read on or watch the video below for full instructions.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of ziti or penne pasta
• 1 lb of ground beef (85% lean)
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
• 5 cups of marinara sauce
• 15 oz of fresh ricotta
• 10 fresh basil leaves
• 12 oz of mozzarella cheese (shredded)
• 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese

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Instructions:

Step 1:

Cook the pasta in salted water based on package instructions. Make sure not to overcook.

Step 2:

Get a deep pan or Dutch oven and place it over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and chopped onion. Break the beef using a spatula and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes. Add minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and saute for 1 minute. Next, add 5 cups of marinara sauce. Let it come to a simmer and continue to cook for about 5 minutes then turn off the heat.

Step 3:

Pour a ladle of meat sauce over the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish and spread it evenly.

Step 4:

Add chopped basil, ricotta, and cooked pasta to the remaining sauce. Stir everything until the noodles are just coated.

Step 5:

Transfer half of the pasta to the casserole dish, then top it with 1/2 of shredded mozzarella and 1/2 of grated parmesan. Add the remaining pasta then sprinkle the remaining cheese.

Step 6:

Clean the edges of the dish. Place inside the preheated oven and bake at 350F for about 25 minutes. After that, broil it for 1 to 2 minutes to brown the cheese. Once done, let it cool for about 5 minutes, then garnish with basil leaves on top. Serve and enjoy!

Make Ahead Cheesy Baked Ziti Recipe