Description
Creamy, cheesy, and utterly indulgent, this Million Dollar Baked Ziti is a comfort food classic that looks and tastes like you spent all day making it. It layers al dente pasta, hearty beef marinara, and a luscious blend of cream cheese, ricotta, sour cream, and mozzarella—bringing bold flavor and a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner, meal prep, or your next potluck, this easy recipe is packed with comfort and guaranteed to wow. Whether you’re after a quick dinner idea or a baked pasta for the holidays, this one fits the bill. Ideal for lovers of easy dinner recipes, pasta dishes, and baked comfort food.
Ingredients
1 pound ziti pasta
1 pound ground beef
3 cups marinara sauce
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil for tossing pasta
Instructions
1. Cook the ziti in salted boiling water until just al dente. Drain and drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking.
2. In a skillet, brown the ground beef until fully cooked. Drain the fat and stir in the marinara sauce. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, ricotta, sour cream, and 1 cup of mozzarella. Stir until smooth.
4. In a 9×13-inch baking dish, spread a thin layer of meat sauce. Add half the ziti, all of the creamy cheese mixture, then the rest of the ziti. Top with remaining meat sauce.
5. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and the Parmesan cheese over the top.
6. Cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes until bubbly and golden.
7. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Let the dish rest before serving to help it set and slice cleanly.
Use fresh mozzarella and Parmesan for best melting and flavor.
Don’t overcook the pasta—al dente is key for perfect texture after baking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 610
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: baked pasta, million dollar baked ziti, easy dinner recipe, pasta bake, comfort food, cheesy pasta, meal prep