Baked Ziti with Ground Beef
A slow-simmered beef ragù, layered and baked
Ground beef simmered into a deep tomato ragù with a splash of red wine and fennel, tossed with ziti and layered with ricotta, provolone, and pecorino before baking.
How it layers, top to bottom
Photography to come
- Browned mozzarellaUncovered, until it blisters
- Ziti + sauceUndercooked by two minutes
- Ricotta, egg, ParmigianoSet, so it slices clean
- Ziti + sauceGenerous — it drinks liquid
- Sauce, on the baseSo nothing catches
Bake at 375°F (190°C) until the centre reaches 165°F (74°C).
Where the sausage version leans on the seasoning already in the meat, a ground-beef baked ziti has to build its own flavor: brown the beef hard for fond, wake it up with tomato paste and a little red wine, and lean on fennel and dried herbs so it tastes like a Sunday ragù rather than plain hamburger in sauce. Provolone in the cheese layer gives a longer, stretchier pull than mozzarella alone.
Ingredients
Ingredients now scaled for 10 servings.
Equipment
- 9×13-inch baking dish
- Wide skillet
- Large pot
- Box grater
Directions
- 1
Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.
- 2
Warm the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat and brown the ground beef undisturbed for a minute or two before breaking it up, so it develops fond rather than steaming.
⏲ Brown the beef: ~8 min
Look for: Beef is deeply browned in spots with no remaining pink.
Food safety: Cook ground beef to 160°F (71°C).
- 3
Add the onion and cook until soft, then the garlic and tomato paste; stir the paste into the fat for a minute until it darkens. Pour in the red wine and scrape up the browned bits until nearly evaporated.
⏲ Build the base: ~6 min
Look for: Tomato paste looks brick-red and the pan is nearly dry.
- 4
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, fennel, and Italian seasoning. Simmer until thickened, season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar to taste.
⏲ Simmer the ragù: ~20 min
Look for: Sauce mounds on a spoon and tastes rich, not raw.
- 5
Meanwhile boil the ziti 2 minutes short of al dente and drain — it finishes cooking in the oven.
⏲ Undercook the pasta: ~8 min
Look for: Firm with a chalky center.
- 6
Stir together the ricotta, egg, pecorino, half the mozzarella, and the basil.
- 7
Toss the drained pasta with about three-quarters of the ragù. Spread half in a greased 9×13-inch dish, spread the ricotta mixture, scatter the provolone, then top with the remaining pasta and ragù.
- 8
Scatter the remaining mozzarella over the top and cover with tented foil so it does not touch the cheese.
- 9
Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake until the edges bubble and the top browns.
⏲ Bake: ~22 min
Look for: Center is steaming hot (165°F / 74°C) and the cheese is browned in spots.
Food safety: Reheat leftovers and make-ahead portions to 165°F (74°C) throughout.
- 10
Rest 10 minutes so the layers set and slice cleanly.
⏲ Rest: ~10 min
Troubleshooting & common mistakes
- Not browning the beef hard enough — pale, steamed meat gives a thin sauce with no depth.
- Skipping the tomato paste step — it is where a lot of the ragù's body comes from.
- Fully cooking the pasta first, which turns it mushy after baking.
Make-ahead, storage & reheating
- Make ahead
- Assemble up to 24 hours ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Add 10–15 minutes to the covered bake straight from the fridge.
- Storage
- Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 4 days.
- Freezer
- Freeze assembled (unbaked) or baked up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking or reheating to 165°F (74°C).
- Reheating
- Reheat portions covered at 350°F (175°C) until hot, adding a spoonful of sauce or water to keep them moist.
Recipe notes
- Leaner beef (90/10) works; add an extra tablespoon of olive oil so the sauce isn't dry.
- A grating of nutmeg into the ricotta is a classic, subtle touch.
FAQ
- Ground beef or Italian sausage — which is better for baked ziti?
- Neither is better; they're different. Sausage brings its own fennel and seasoning for less work, while ground beef is milder and cheaper and lets you season the sauce yourself. Many cooks use half of each. See our baked ziti with Italian sausage recipe for that version.
- Should I drain the fat from the beef?
- With 85/15 beef, spoon off excess pooled fat after browning but leave a little behind for flavor. Very lean beef won't need draining at all.
- Can I leave out the wine?
- Yes. Deglaze with an equal splash of beef broth (or water) instead — you still lift the browned fond, which is the point of that step.
Nutrition (estimate)
Per 1 of 10 servings: ~540 kcal, 30 g protein, 44 g carbs, 27 g fat.
Estimated from the listed quantities with a standard USDA-based ingredient database; not lab-verified. Values are approximate and vary with brands and portioning.
Pantry · shelf-stable
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Shelf-stable staples for this recipe. Fresh cheese, produce, and meat are best bought locally. As an Amazon Associate, ZitiRecipe earns from qualifying purchases.