Easy Beefy Baked Ziti
When life gets busy but you still want a comforting dinner, nothing beats this Easy Beefy Baked Ziti. It’s a hearty, family-friendly baked ziti recipe made with ground beef, ricotta, mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, and a big jar of marinara. I made this before leaving for a trip so my kids would have a cozy, homemade meal ready to go for the weekend—and it’s perfect for weeknights, potlucks, or freezing ahead. For convenience, I used a jar of marinara sauce, but if you want to go the extra mile, you can also use → My Homemade Meat Sauce. If you prefer a lighter version, check out → My Baked Ziti Without Beef. For more recipes like this one you can just click here to see the list!
👝 How to Store Leftovers
You can either store it in the freezer before baking it and bake it within a month. Or you can store in an airtight container after eating it for 3-5 days.
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🤔 Common Questions
Yes—penne, rigatoni, or shells all work.
Try cottage cheese or mascarpone.
Tips & Tricks
- Undercook pasta slightly—it finishes in the oven.
- Freshly shredded mozzarella melts best.
- Add red pepper flakes if you like a little heat.
- Double the recipe and freeze one pan for later.
Easy Beefy Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced (or 1 tbsp jarlic)
- 1 28 oz jar marinara sauce
- 1 lb ziti pasta cooked al dente
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 8 oz mozzarella cheese freshly shredded (reserve some for topping)
- ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped (plus extra for garnish)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Olive oil for sautéing
Instructions
Cook Pasta
- Boil ziti in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Brown beef
- In a skillet, heat olive oil. Add onion and sauté until soft. Stir in garlic for 1 minute. Add beef, season with salt & pepper, and cook until browned. Drain fat.
Add sauce
- Stir in jar of marinara. Fill up the jar with 1/4 cup of water. Put the top back on and shake. Simmer 5 minutes.
Mix ricotta & pasta
- In a large bowl, combine ricotta, half the mozzarella, half the Pecorino, parsley, and the cooked ziti. Stir in 1 ladle (about ½ cup) of the meat sauce to bring it together.
Assemble layers
- Spread a thin layer of meat sauce in a greased 9×13” pan.
- Add half the ricotta-ziti mixture.
- Top with half the remaining meat sauce.
- Repeat layers with the rest of the ricotta-ziti mixture and meat sauce.
- Finish with remaining mozzarella and Pecorino on top.
Bake
- Cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10–15 minutes until golden and bubbly.
Serve
- Sprinkle parsley on top before serving.
Video
