When it comes to pasta bakes, it doesn’t get more classic than baked ziti. This delicious pasta dish has been a staple of family dinners, potlucks, and parties for as long as anyone can remember, and it probably always will be. This version takes the classic pasta, sauce, and cheese dish and kicks it up with the creaminess of added provolone cheese and sour cream and a homemade meat sauce.
We’re firm believers that you can never go wrong with pasta dishes. From creative dishes like Cajun shrimp alfredo to classics like spaghetti and meatballs, pasta is always welcome at any gathering. You can never go wrong with pasta, and that’s especially true when you’re serving up a big pan of melty, meaty baked ziti. We love this classic, and we serve it often. Our version adds even more creamy, cheesy goodness with the addition of provolone cheese and cream cheese and uses a homemade meat sauce that’s seasoned to perfection to create a dish that has everyone running back for more!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Basic Ingredients: Like all of our recipes, this one uses kitchen staples found in any pantry or grocery store.
- Easy: This recipe only takes about an hour and a half from start to finish and only a basic knowledge of the kitchen.
- A Classic: Whether it’s served for dinner or at a party, everyone loves this dish.
- Customizable: You can easily adjust the ingredients to suit your individual taste.
Ingredients
Sauce
- Ground Beef and Italian Sausage: A blend of ground beef and Italian sausage gives the sauce tons of meaty flavor and texture.
- Aromatics: Onions and garlic give the sauce a layer of aromatic flavor with a touch of sweetness and a little bite.
- Tomatoes: Crushed tomatoes, petite diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste create the base for the flavorful meat sauce.
- Seasonings: A blend of Italian seasoning and basil gives the sauce that classic Italian flavor we all love.
Layering Ingredients
- Ziti Pasta: Ziti is the classic noodle for this bake. It’s easy to eat, and its texture holds the sauce well.
- Cheese: Provolone, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese add tons of ooey-gooey cheesy goodness.
- Sour Cream: Sour cream adds more richness and a subtle tang to the sauce.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact measurements.
Flavor Variations
- Spicy: Use spicy Italian sausage and add some red pepper flakes to the sauce for a spicy version.
- Meats: Use ground turkey in place of ground beef, pure ground beef, or pure Italian sausage for the sauce.
- Pasta: Ziti may be the classic noodle for this bake, but any short, textured variety will work.
- Veggies: Mushrooms and sweet bell peppers are a nice addition to the sauce for more flavor and texture.
- Semi-Homemade: Skip the homemade sauce and use your favorite jarred variety. Just mix it with the meat and onion mixture.
Instructions
Sauce
1: Cook the meat and onions in a large skillet until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are tender. Then, add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Drain and return to the pan.
2: Add the remaining sauce ingredients, stir, and reduce the heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 2 hours.
Baked Ziti
1: Preheat the oven to 350 while cooking the pasta according to the package directions for al dente.
2: Add half the pasta and half the sauce to a prepared 9×13 baking dish. Then, add the sliced provolone and sour cream.
3: Add the remaining pasta, followed by the mozzarella cheese, the remaining sauce, and the parmesan cheese.
4: Bake until bubbly. Then, remove the ziti from the oven and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Enjoy!
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days in an airtight container. For longer storage, freeze leftovers for up to a month in an airtight, freezer-safe container.
To reheat, defrost the ziti in the refrigerator overnight if frozen. Then, microwave at 1-minute intervals until heated through.
Pairing Suggestions
Baked ziti is always great with garlic toast and a side salad. For dessert, we like lighter treats like lemon blueberry cake cookies or mini raspberry cheesecakes for a sweet finish to the meal.
Tips
- To ensure your pasta doesn’t get too soft, rinse it with cold water as soon as it reaches al dente.
- Your ground beef is finished cooking when it’s no longer pink. Don’t cook it more or it will get rubbery.
- Cook the minced garlic until it’s fragrant, but no further. If you brown it, it gets bitter.
FAQ
Yes and no. Baked ziti, as we know it today, is an Italian-American invention created by Italian immigrants, adapting Italian ingredients and techniques with American influences.
People go nuts for baked ziti because the flavors balance with one another so well. The meat sauce is rich, meaty, and has a slightly sweet and acidic flavor from the tomatoes. Meanwhile, the cheese adds rich, creamy flavor and a melty texture. They combine to make a dish that’s universally loved.
If you cook your noodles too long initially, they’re get too soft while the dish bakes in the oven. Cook your noodles to al dente or even a bit under to ensure the oven doesn’t make them too soft and mushy.
Try Our Baked Ziti Today
This baked ziti is full of classic flavors and textures with extra creaminess thanks to a little sour cream. It’s a tasty twist on a classic that everyone will love and won’t take hours in the kitchen. You can’t go wrong with that combination. Give this a try, and you’ll find yourself looking for reasons to make it!
More Delicious Pasta Recipes You’ll Enjoy
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Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 16 ounce ziti pasta
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 28 ounce crushed tomatoes
- 8 ounce tomato sauce
- 6 ounce tomato paste
- 14.5 ounce petite diced tomatoes, undrained
- 10 slices provolone cheese
- 1 ¼ cup sour cream
- 16 ounce shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef, Italian sausage, and onions together until brown. Add minced garlic and cook for two additional minutes. Drain grease and return to the skillet.
- Add seasonings, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Stir to combine.
- Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Drain.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray the bottom and sides of a deep 9 x 13 baking dish. Layer ½ of the pasta and ½ the sauce, next add the sliced provolone and sour cream.
- Next, layer the remaining pasta, mozzarella cheese, the remaining sauce, and the Parmesan cheese.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until bubbly.
- Remove from the oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- To ensure your pasta doesn’t get too soft, rinse it with cold water as soon as it reaches al dente.
- Your ground beef is finished cooking when it’s no longer pink. Don’t cook it more or it will get rubbery.
- Cook the minced garlic until it’s fragrant, but no further. If you brown it, it gets bitter.
