Description
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with this Million Dollar Baked Ziti recipe. Creamy, cheesy, and satisfying, it’s a crowd-pleaser that’s perfect for family dinners or entertaining guests.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta:
- 1 pound ziti pasta
Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef (or Italian sausage)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Cheese Mixture:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Garnish:
- Chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook the pasta: Cook the ziti according to package instructions until al dente, then drain and set aside.
- Prepare the sauce: In a skillet, cook the ground beef, onion, and garlic. Add marinara sauce and Italian seasoning. Simmer, season with salt and pepper.
- Make the cheese mixture: Combine cream cheese, sour cream, ricotta, and 1 cup of mozzarella until smooth.
- Assemble: Add pasta to the sauce, then layer half in the baking dish. Spread cheese mixture, top with remaining pasta, mozzarella, and Parmesan.
- Bake: Cover with foil, bake for 20 minutes. Uncover, bake for an additional 10–15 minutes until golden.
- Serve: Let rest before serving. Garnish with parsley if desired.
Notes
- You can assemble this dish a day ahead and refrigerate until ready to bake.
- For extra flavor, mix ground beef and Italian sausage or add red pepper flakes to the sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 610
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 740mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 49g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
