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baked ziti with meat in a plate
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Baked Ziti With Meat

Baked ziti with meat is a flavor-intense meal of bubbling cheesy goodness and Italian American comfort food blended into a divinely inspired dish of yummy.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Baked Ziti With Meat, Baked Ziti With Meat Recipe, How Do I Make Baked Ziti With Meat, How To Make Baked Ziti With Meat
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 939kcal
Author Kathleen

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef, 80/20
  • 1/2 pound Italian sausage
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 teaspoons Italian seasoning divided
  • 48 ounces homemade marinara sauce, or 2 (24 ounce) jars-divided
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 (15-ounce) container ricotta
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, optional
  • 1 cup Parmesan,-divided grated
  • 2 cups Mozzarella, -divided shredded
  • 16 ounces ziti

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9X13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
  • In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the beef and sausage and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brown mixture, crumbling into large pieces. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of drippings from pot. If you don't have that amount remaining, add olive oil to make up the difference.
  • Add the onion, garlic, and 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning and saute, over medium-high heat, until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Return beef and sausage to the pot. Add half of the marinara sauce (2 cups or 1 jar), water, and heavy cream to the onion and meat, turn the heat to low and heat through; set aside.
  • Meanwhile, bring another large pot of water, with 1 tablespoon of salt, to a boil. Cook ziti according to the package instructions. Drain well, then return pasta to original pot off the heat, and add the remaining half (2 cups or 1 jar) of marinara sauce to pasta and combine; set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, egg, remaining 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and nutmeg; set aside.

Assembly:

  • Spoon a thin layer, about 1 cup of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9X13 inch baking dish. Pour half the ziti in the baking dish. Spread all the ricotta mixture over ziti, then sprinkle half the parmesan, half the mozzarella, and half the sauce.
  • Spread the remaining ziti, then the remaining sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Bake in preheated oven, uncovered 25-30 minutes or until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbly.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 of the recipe | Calories: 939kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 186mg | Sodium: 2433mg | Potassium: 1368mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 1720IU | Vitamin C: 20.2mg | Calcium: 496mg | Iron: 6.1mg