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.
🎥 Items Featured in the Video
🗒 More Delicious Pasta Recipes
-
Italian Penicillin Soup (Whole Chicken Healing Chicken Soup)
This Italian Penicillin Soup (Whole Chicken Healing Chicken Soup) is the kind of old-school comfort food I grew up on — made the way my mom and grandma always taught me, starting with a whole chicken slowly simmered to create a deeply nourishing broth. If you love cozy, restorative soups like my Italian Pastina Soup…
-
Creamy Sicilian Sausage & Ditalini Soup
My Sicilian Pastina Soup became an internet sensation, so I knew I had to create another Sicilian signature soup that truly represents the flavors I grew up with—and this one might be even better. This Creamy Sicilian Sausage & Ditalini Soup is absolute perfection. It’s rich, cozy, comforting, and layered with bold Italian flavor. From…
-
Marry Me Baked Spaghetti
If you love cozy, cheesy pasta dinners, this Marry Me Baked Spaghetti is about to become your new obsession. If you’ve made and loved my Million Dollar Baked Spaghetti (one of my most viral baked spaghetti recipes ever), are a fan of my comforting Poor Man’s Casserole, or crave rich, creamy pasta dishes like my…
🤔 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
