I don’t know what it is about baked ziti, but it always feels like more effort than it should be. Boil the pasta, cook the meat, layer the cheese…it starts to feel like a whole thing, but it doesn’t have to. This easy creamy baked ziti (in my Dutch oven) is the version I actually enjoy making (and eating).

It’s a little looser, a little creamier, and way more forgiving than the traditional kind. It’s the kind of dinner you can throw together in one pot and still end up with something everyone eats willingly.

Honestly, it’s right up there with the easy dinners I make on repeat (the ones that save me when I don’t feel like figuring out what to do with ground beef…yet again).

download our free

Meal Planner & Grocery List

dinner made easy

Ingredient Notes

• You can use either ziti, penne, or even rotini, whatever pasta you have in the pantry. No one’s checking, haha.
• The combo of ground beef and ground sausage gives you way more flavor than using just one, but you can use 1 pound of ground beef or 1 pound of sauage if you don’t want to mix.
• Use whatever jarred sauce you like. This carries the dish, so try not to use one that’s too sweet. A good tomato basil is my favorite.
• The ricotta and sour cream are what make this baked ziti creamy instead of dry. You definitely need them both. No questions asked.
• The parmesean adds a little sharpness and depth, making it more interesting.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta just shy of al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until softened, about 4–5 minutes. Add ground beef and sausage. Cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess grease if needed.
3. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the spaghetti sauce and 1/4 cup water or broth. Simmer for 5–10 minutes.
4. In a bowl, combine ricotta, sour cream, parmesan, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Stir until smooth.
5. Add the cooked pasta and ricotta mixture to the meat mixture in the Dutch oven. Stir until evenly combined.
6. Top with 1/2 cup mozzarella and a few sprinkles of Italian seasoning (optional, but it makes it pretty).
7. Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes, until bubbly and lightly golden on top. For a more golden, bubbly cheese top (as pictured), broil for the last 1–2 minutes, watching it very closely so it doesn’t burn.
8. Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes before serving (it thickens up slightly as it rests).

6 Quart Dutch Oven

Perfect for one-pot dinners this Dutch oven holds heat well and cooks evenly. It’s sturdy and easy to clean.

shop this

Recipe Tips & Notes

• If the ziti too soft and you want it to be more structured (think traditional ziti), you can add 1 egg to the ricotta mixture. I uusally don’t because we’ve decided wee like it creamier over here.
• A pinch of red pepper flakes adds a little heat without making it spicy.
• Cook the pasta just shy of al dente since it will continue cooking in the oven.
• Rotini works great in this recipe too and honestly might even hold the sauce better. It’s actually the pasta shape I always seem to have in my pantry for some weird reason, so I use it most of the time (including today, haha).
• A 32-ounce jar of sauce works best and keeps the baked ziti creamier instead of drying out during baking.
• If your Dutch oven is very deep, it may stay a little looser in the center at first, letting it rest 10–15 minutes helps a lot with that.
• If you’d rather use a casserole dish, transfer everything to a greased 9×13 baking dish before topping with mozzarella and baking. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Both pans work well, but I love using a Dutch oven here because it turns into a true one-pot dinner situation (and I’ll take one less dish whenever possible).
• This can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated before baking. Since the pasta will absorb some sauce as it sits, I recommend using a larger jar of sauce and slightly undercooking the pasta to keep everything creamy after baking.

A Quick Note (This Matters More Than You Think)

If you’ve ever made baked ziti and thought it came out a little dry or just kind of flat, this recipe fixes all that. The sour cream softens everything, the extra sauce keeps it from drying out, and skipping the egg keeps it from turning into something overly firm. It’s not traditional…at all. It’s just better for real life.

Storage & Reheating

Store leftover baked ziti covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The pasta will continue absorbing sauce as it sits, so it actually gets even richer and creamier the next day (which I personally love).

Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm larger portions in the oven at 350°F until heated through. If it seems a little thick or dry after being refrigerated, add a small splash of water before reheating to loosen the sauce back up.

This baked ziti also freezes really well. You can freeze it either before or after baking for up to 3 months. If freezing before baking, assemble everything in the casserole dish, cover tightly, and freeze. 

Creamy Baked Ziti With Meat

By: Kristine Underwood

This creamy baked ziti with meat is rich, easy, and made with simple ingredients like ricotta, sour cream, and jarred sauce. It bakes up soft, cheesy, and full of flavor without drying out. A reliable, family-friendly dinner that works every time.

5 from 10 votes

Print Pin Email SaveSaved!

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Servings 8 servings

Calories 612 kcal

Equipment

• 6 quart Dutch oven

Ingredients

• 16 ounces ziti pasta (may use penne or rotini)
• 1 TBS olive oil
• 1/2 sweet onion (chopped)
• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground Italian sausage
• 1 tsp minced garlic (jarred or 2 cloves minced)
• 24 ounces spaghetti sauce (24-32 ounce jar)
• 1/4 cup water (or broth)
• 16 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella (may reduce to 1/2 up or use up to 1 1/2 cups, to taste)

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta just shy of al dente. Drain and set aside.
  16 ounces ziti pasta
• In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until softened, about 4–5 minutes. Add ground beef and sausage. Cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess grease if needed.
  1 TBS olive oil, 1/2 sweet onion, 1/2 pound lean ground beef, 1/2 pound ground Italian sausage
• Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the spaghetti sauce and ½ cup water or broth. Simmer for 5–10 minutes.
  1 tsp minced garlic, 24 ounces spaghetti sauce, 1/4 cup water
• In a bowl, combine ricotta, sour cream, parmesan, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Stir until smooth.
  16 ounces ricotta cheese, 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1/4 cup grated parmesan, 1 tsp sea salt
• Add the cooked pasta and ricotta mixture to the meat mixture in the Dutch oven. Stir until evenly combined.
• Top with 1 cup shredded mozzarella and a few sprinkles of Italian seasoning (optional).
  1 cup shredded mozzarella
• Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes, until bubbly and lightly golden on top. For a more golden, bubbly cheese top, broil for the last 1–2 minutes, watching closely so it doesn’t burn.
• Let it sit for 10-15 minutes before serving (it thickens up slightly as it rests).
• Store baked ziti in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

• Cook the pasta just shy of al dente since it will continue cooking in the oven.
• Rotini works great in this recipe too and honestly might even hold the sauce better. Just cook it slightly shy of al dente like you would ziti or penne.
• A 32-ounce jar of sauce works best and keeps the baked ziti creamier instead of drying out.
• If the mixture looks a little saucy before baking, that’s okay. The pasta absorbs quite a bit as it bakes and rests.
• For a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce.
• If you’d rather use a casserole dish, transfer everything to a greased 9×13 baking dish before topping with mozzarella and baking. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
• To cut this recipe in half, divide all ingredients in half, prepare as written, and bake in a smaller 8×8 inch baking dish at 375°F for 15–20 minutes. Broil the top for the last minute or two.
• Let the baked ziti rest for 10-15 minutes before serving so it can thicken slightly and scoop more easily.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 servingCalories: 612kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 29gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 1097mgPotassium: 676mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 948IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 285mgIron: 3mg