Baked beef ziti
8
Points®
Total time: 1 hr 10 min • Prep: 20 min • Cook: 50 min • Serves: 8 • Difficulty: Easy
If you thought you couldn't indulge in favorites (this recipe features both pasta and beef) and still stay on a healthy eating schedule, you'll be thrilled to know that baked ziti is not a thing of the past. After the ground beef is cooked, it's then flavored with a savory mix of dried oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. The homemade sauce is then finished off with canned crush tomatoes. Layer the sauce, ziti, and mozzarella cheese in a casserole dish and let everything bake in the oven until the cheese is golden and bubbly, which should take about 30 minutes. You won't find an easier, satisfying, or more delicious ziti recipe!
Ingredients
Uncooked ziti
12 oz
Olive oil
2 tsp
Garlic
2 medium clove(s)
Uncooked 93% lean ground beef
0.333 pound(s)
Dried oregano
1 tsp
Dried thyme
1 tsp
Dried rosemary
1 tsp
Table salt
0.5 tsp
Black pepper
0.5 tsp
Canned crushed tomatoes
28 oz
Part skim mozzarella cheese
1 cup(s), shredded
Instructions
1
Preheat oven to 350°F.
2
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.
3
Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add beef and cook until browned, breaking up meat with a spoon as it cooks, 3 to 5 minutes; drain off any fat and set pan back over medium heat.
4
Add oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper; stir to coat beef. Cook until herbs become fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
5
Spoon a small amount of beef-tomato mixture into bottom of a 4-quart casserole dish (just enough to cover surface); top with half of cooked ziti. Next, layer with half of remaining beef-tomato sauce and half of mozzarella cheese. Layer with remaining ziti and then top with remaining beef-tomato sauce; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Slice into 8 pieces and serve.
6
Per serving: 1/8 of casserole
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