Company's Coming Layered Ziti Casserole

Perfect for entertaining or a hearty family dinner, "Company's Coming Layered Ziti Casserole" is a comforting, crowd-pleasing dish loaded with layers of savory perfection. Featuring tender ziti pasta, a robust marinara meat sauce, and a creamy ricotta cheese blend, this casserole is baked to golden, bubbling perfection with a generous topping of mozzarella and parmesan. With just 20 minutes of prep time and an hour to bake, this recipe seamlessly combines convenience with rich, homemade flavor. Ideal for feeding a group, it’s beautifully layered for impressive presentation and pairs wonderfully with a crisp green salad and garlic bread. Whether you're hosting a dinner party or looking for a satisfying weeknight meal, this ziti casserole is sure to delight. Keywords: layered ziti casserole, baked pasta dish, dinner party recipes, family-friendly meals, easy Italian casserole.

Nutriscore Rating: 68/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:40 mins

Total Time:60 mins

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 16 oz ziti pasta
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 small, diced onion
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 32 oz marinara sauce
• 15 oz ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp, chopped fresh parsley
• 2 cups, shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup, grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish and set aside.

Step 2

Cook the ziti pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and toss with a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.

Step 3

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef, onion, and garlic. Cook until the beef is browned and the onions are translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess grease.

Step 4

Stir the marinara sauce into the skillet with the beef mixture. Let it simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper, then remove from heat.

Step 5

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, chopped parsley, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. Mix well and set aside.

Step 6

To assemble the casserole, spread 1 cup of the meat sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

Step 7

Layer half of the cooked ziti pasta over the sauce, followed by half of the ricotta mixture. Spread evenly.

Step 8

Add half of the remaining meat sauce over the ricotta layer and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese.

Step 9

Repeat the layers with the remaining ziti pasta, ricotta mixture, meat sauce, and mozzarella cheese. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese.

Step 10

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.

Step 11

Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown on top.

Step 12

Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional chopped parsley, if desired. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(2763.4g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	4874.7

Total Fat 243.5g	0%
Saturated Fat 110.8g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4.8g
Cholesterol 1013.6mg	0%
Sodium 6544.9mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 424.4g	0%
Dietary Fiber 33.9g	0%
Total Sugars 44.8g
Protein 282.2g	0%

Vitamin D 84.2IU	0%
Calcium 4476.3mg	0%
Iron 28.2mg	0%
Potassium 2133.9mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 43.7%

Protein: 22.5%

Carbs: 33.8%