Description
This Homemade Baked Ziti With Ground Beef And Cream Cheese is a rich, cozy, and crowd-pleasing pasta bake that is perfect for an easy dinner, family meal, or make-ahead comfort food night. Tender ziti is layered with savory ground beef, creamy cheese filling, flavorful marinara, and melted mozzarella for one of the best baked pasta dinner ideas when you need a hearty easy recipe everyone will love.
Ingredients
12 ounces ziti pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground beef
24 ounces marinara sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese for topping
1 tablespoon chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the ziti until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, then stir in the garlic.
3. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess grease if needed.
4. Stir in the marinara sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
5. In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, ricotta, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, egg, and chopped parsley until smooth.
6. Add the cooked ziti to the meat sauce and toss to coat evenly.
7. Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
8. Spread half of the pasta mixture into the dish, spoon the cheese mixture over it, then top with the remaining pasta mixture.
9. Sprinkle the mozzarella and extra Parmesan evenly over the top.
10. Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until hot, bubbly, and lightly golden.
11. Let the baked ziti rest for 10 minutes, then garnish with parsley and serve.
Notes
Do not overcook the pasta before baking or the final dish can turn too soft.
Let the cream cheese soften fully before mixing so the cheese layer turns out smooth.
Resting the casserole before serving helps it hold together better and makes scooping easier.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 27g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 31g
- Cholesterol: 95mg