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5-Ingredient Baked Ziti Recipe

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3.9 from 10 reviews

This easy 5-Ingredient Baked Ziti recipe combines perfectly cooked pasta with savory browned meat, flavorful marinara sauce, and melty mozzarella cheese for a comforting, crowd-pleasing Italian-American classic. Ready in just 50 minutes, it’s a simple baked pasta dish great for weeknights or batch cooking with optional freezing instructions.

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

  • 12 ounces pasta of choice (use gluten-free, if needed)
  • ½ lb. bulk mild Italian sausage
  • ½ lb. lean ground beef (or, may use 1 lb. ground meat of choice)
  • 1 24-ounce jar Primal Kitchen marinara sauce
  • 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

Optional for Serving

  • Fresh basil
  • Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly mist a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or use two 9×9 baking dishes if you plan to freeze one portion for later. Set aside the prepared dish(es).
  2. Brown Meat: Heat a skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and Italian sausage, breaking the meat apart with a spatula. Cook until no longer pink and fully browned. If adding vegetables, add them now and cook until tender. Drain excess fat if necessary.
  3. Cook Pasta: In a large pot of salted boiling water over medium-high heat, cook the pasta until al dente—still slightly firm to prevent sogginess after baking. Drain the pasta and transfer it to the prepared baking dish(es).
  4. Combine Ingredients: Add the cooked browned meat, marinara sauce, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, and Italian seasoning to the pasta. Gently stir everything until well combined. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of mozzarella cheese evenly on top. If freezing, separate into pans as needed.
  5. Bake: Cover the dish with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 5–10 minutes until thoroughly hot, bubbly, and the cheese on top is melted and slightly golden.
  6. Serve: Serve the baked ziti warm, optionally garnished with fresh basil leaves and grated Parmesan cheese for added flavor.

Notes

  • For gluten-free variation, use gluten-free pasta.
  • To freeze, prepare in two 9×9 baking dishes, bake one and freeze the other unbaked with foil tightly covering it. Bake frozen portion at 350°F for 25–30 minutes covered, then 10–15 minutes uncovered until bubbly.
  • Al dente pasta is critical—slightly undercook pasta to prevent it from becoming mushy after baking.
  • Use lean ground meat or drain excess fat to reduce greasiness.
  • Feel free to add vegetables like bell peppers, mushrooms, or onions with the meat for more nutrition.

Find it online: http://bitezly.com/5-ingredient-baked-ziti-recipe/