Mom's Easy Baked Ziti Recipe

3.83 from 34 votes

Mom's easy baked ziti is a lighter version of the classic comfort-food casserole, made with pasta, lean ground turkey or beef, marinara sauce and creamy cottage cheese. Simple, satisfying and perfect for family dinners or leftovers.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: baked pasta, healthy pasta recipe, pasta with ground beef

Servings:

Author: Martha McKinnon | Simple Nourished Living

Equipment

Ingredients

8 ounces ziti or other short cut pasta, uncooked (about 2 cups)
1/2 pound extra lean ground beef or ground turkey
2 medium onions, chopped
3 cups spaghetti sauce
2 cups non-fat cottage cheese (pureed in a blender for a creamier result, if desired)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Cook ziti according to package directions. Drain, and set aside.
Meanwhile, crumble meat in a large skillet coated with non-stick cooking spray. Add onions. Saute, breaking up the meat into crumbles, until it is fully cooked, about 10 minutes.
Stir the spaghetti sauce into the meat.
In large bowl, combine cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, parsley, and garlic powder. Mix thoroughly. Add cooked ziti and mix well.
Spread about 1/3 of the meat, onion, and spaghetti sauce mixture in bottom of prepared pan.
Spoon ziti and cheese mixture into pan.
Pour the remaining sauce mixture over the top. Sprinkle with a little more grated Parmesan if desired.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 30 minutes.

Notes

Serving size: 1/6th recipe

WW Points: 6

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9 PointsPlus (Old plan)

Easy Baked Ziti Variations

There are dozens of ways to make baked ziti, from simple to elaborate. Some recipes are layered like lasagna, while others mix everything together.

This is the version I made with what happened to be in my kitchen that afternoon, but it's easy to change things up.

Change the meat. Use lean ground beef, ground turkey, Italian sausage or sliced cooked meatballs.
Make it vegetarian. Leave out the meat and add extra vegetables to the sauce.
Add more vegetables. Cooked mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers or spinach would all be delicious.
Change the cheese. Substitute ricotta for the cottage cheese, or add a little mozzarella or provolone for a cheesier casserole.
Use what you have. Penne, rigatoni or another short pasta can easily stand in for ziti.

Nutrition