The Easiest and Best Baked Ziti Recipe - Sugar Spices Life (2024)

May 21, 2018

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This baked ziti has a sweet, delicious sauce filled with beef, and topped with cheese. It doesn’t take much time or effort to put it together. And, it’ll feed a crowd, which is good, since the taste will bring one!

The Easiest and Best Baked Ziti Recipe - Sugar Spices Life (1)

My best friend Emily and I met when we were 14 yearsold. When I first met her, I didn’t care for her. But, she wore on me, and by the time we were 15, we were inseparable. Throughout high school we had slumber parties where we would cook. Mostly dessert. And mostly no-bake and chocolate chip cookies. We ruined many of other mamas’ pots. And despite hearing from our mamas about how we were going to die of salmonella, we ate a lot of cookie dough.

The Easiest and Best Baked Ziti Recipe - Sugar Spices Life (2)

Emily and I went to college together, were roommates in the freshman dorms, and then roommates in our first two apartments. During that time, we decided to step up our cooking game. We gathered family recipes, bought cookbooks and kitchen gadgets, and did a lot of cooking for each other and our other roommates.

Emily and I saw each other through many food highs and lows. For example, I once had a recipe from my grandmother for mac & cheese that said “get the largest box of macaroni.” I bought the largest one I could find, which was something like 48 ounces. Looking back, I’m sure my grandmother had meant 16 ounces, so as you can imagine, it was an interesting and confusing dish for everyone.

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Emily’s family recipes were always a hit. Especially her spaghetti. So, when she texted me last week and asked if I wanted her ziti recipe, I said “OF COURSE!” She told me that this ziti is her most requested recipe. I made it, ate, and understand why it is requested … it is delicious! It makes a ton, making it perfect for a crowd, it freezes well, and is just pure amazing comfort food.

The Easiest and Best Baked Ziti Recipe - Sugar Spices Life (4)

This baked ziti sauce is sweet and savory. It’s easy to put together, and it’ll feed a crowd, which is good since a crowd will want to eat it.

4.65 from 17 votes

Course: Main Course

Prep Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 529

Ingredients

29 oz + 12oz can of tomato sauce
12 oz can tomato paste
29 oz can diced tomatoes
1.5 teaspoons garlic powder
1.5 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1.5 tablespoons oregeno
1/2 cup sugar
1 pound ground beef
16 ounce box ziti
8 ounce bag shredded mozzarella cheese
8 ounce bag shredded Italian cheese

Instructions

In a large pot on stove over medium heat, stir together tomato sauce, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, garlic powder, salt, pepper, oregano, and sugar.
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Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover, and allow to simmer for at least 30 minutes.
In a large skillet, brown beef with salt and pepper to taste. Once cooked through, remove from heat and drain fat.
Add beef to sauce and allow to simmer for another 20-30 minutes.
Cook ziti according to package instructions.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove 2 cups of beef sauce from pot and set aside.
In pot with sauce, stir in ziti, 6 ounces of mozzarella cheese and 6 ounces of Italian cheese.
Place mixture in 9×13 baking dish.
Use remaining sauce to cover top of mixture and top with remaining cheeses.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

Notes

Emily recommends Hunt’s brand for all tomato sauce, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes.

If you place in fridge after preparing, you will need to bake for about an hour.

If you freeze, let thaw before baking for best results.

Nutrition

Disclaimer: All nutritional information provided on this website is an estimate only and is not guaranteed.

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