KClair’s Baked Ziti
Get ready for the ultimate baked pasta dish—hearty, cheesy, and packed with flavor. KClair’s Baked Ziti blends the boldness of sweet Italian sausage with rich ground beef, simmered in a garlicky tomato-basil sauce and layered with creamy ricotta and melty mozzarella.
INGREDIENTS
- 1lb. Ziti pasta
- 1lb. sweet Italian sausage (out of the casing)
- 1lb. ground beef
- 3-14oz cans of crushed tomatoes
- ¼ c. chopped fresh basil
- ¼ c. minced garlic
- ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 32 oz. ricotta cheese
- 4 c. mozzarella cheese
- ½ c. parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS
The sauce:
- Sauté the ground beef and sausage in a pot until cooked through. Strain off the grease.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, basil, garlic, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
The Process:
- Boil the pasta according to the package for al dente and strain. After you strain the pasta, add half the sauce, 16 oz. of ricotta cheese, and 2 c. of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Mix the pasta, sauce, and cheese until well combined.
- In a well-oiled 9x13 pan, ladle half the remaining sauce and spread it out evenly. Next, start layering with half of the pasta mixture, then half of the remaining cheeses on top of the pasta mixture. Add the remaining sauce, then layer the remaining pasta mixture, and finally the remaining cheese on top to finish. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 30-45 minutes, or until everything is bubbling and the cheese just starts to brown.
CHEF NOTES
- This recipe can be split in half and frozen for meal planning, just bake for the first 30 minutes covered if it’s frozen. Just like when it's fresh, when everything starts to brown and gets bubbly, it's done.
- Pairs perfectly with garlic bread and Caesar salad.