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Ziti and meat sauce casserole bakes pasta in a hearty ground beef tomato sauce under bubbly mozzarella. This protein-rich family dinner is a crowd-pleasing Italian-American comfort classic.
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook ziti pasta until just barely al dente; drain and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add diced onion and sauté until translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add ground beef to the skillet. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, breaking it apart, until browned and no longer pink. Drain excess fat if needed.
Stir in crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer sauce for 10–15 minutes, allowing flavors to meld.
In a large mixing bowl, gently toss the cooked ziti with half the meat sauce, ricotta cheese, and half the mozzarella.
Spread half of the ziti mixture into a greased 9x13-inch casserole dish. Layer the remaining meat sauce over, then top with the rest of the ziti and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
Cover pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Then, remove foil and continue baking for another 10–12 minutes, until cheese is golden and bubbly on top.
Let casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving for easier slicing and to keep texture intact.
