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a wooden spoon scoops baked ziti out of a white casserole dish
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5 from 56 votes

Baked Ziti with Ground Beef and Sausage

Hearty baked ziti is a classic recipe that everyone loves. This recipe is made with ground sausage and ground beef with plenty of cheesy goodness.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: dinner, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: Baked Ziti
Servings: 8
Cost: 10

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground meat (beef or turkey)
  • 1 pound ground Italian sausage (I like to mix sweet and hot)
  • 1 small red pepper finely diced
  • 1 small green pepper finely diced
  • 1 small yellow onion finely diced
  • 8 garlic cloves minced

For the Sauce

  • 1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes
  • 1 25oz jar of pasta sauce any brand we will do! We will hook it up!
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons basil chopped
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

For the Ziti Bake

  • 1 (16 ounce) box ziti pasta
  • 16 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chopped basil
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoons black pepper

Cheese

  • 3 cups mozzarella cheese shredded and divided

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Cook the ziti pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  • In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the Italian sausage and ground beef until browned and cooked through. Add the peppers, onions, and garlic and cook until softened.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes, pasta sauce, Parmesan cheese, heavy cream, basil, sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Stir everything to combine and let the sauce simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Taste the sauce and adjust salt, if needed.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked ziti pasta, ricotta cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, basil, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix well until combined. Spoon 3 to 4 large spoonfuls of the meat sauce into the mixture and stir. Make sure to reserve some pasta sauce for layering. Your ziti mixture should be creamy and fully coated.
  • Spoon a layer of the meat sauce into the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish.
  • Add half of the ziti mixture to the dish on top of the meat sauce. Spread it out evenly. Add a thin layer of cheese on top.
  • Spoon the remaining meat sauce on top, then spread the remaining ziti mixture on top of the meat sauce. Sprinkle with the mozzarella. Cover the ziti and bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Broil at the end uncovered for a golden cheese top finish. Be careful not to burn!
  • Remove from the oven and let the ziti cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 503kcal