Million Dollar Baked Ziti
This Million Dollar Baked Ziti is the ultimate comfort food—rich, cheesy, and packed with flavor. Perfect for family dinners or meal prep!
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound ziti pasta
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
- 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Cook ziti pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, sautéing until soft.
- Add ground beef and cook until browned. Drain excess fat.
- Stir in marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- In a bowl, mix ricotta, sour cream, and cream cheese until smooth.
- Combine cooked pasta with the sauce mixture and mix well.
- Layer half of the pasta mixture in the baking dish, spread the ricotta mixture over it, then top with the remaining pasta.
- Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 25 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Remove from oven, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve warm.