Baked Ziti With Vodka Sauce

A serving of baked ziti being lifted up with cheese pulling and pasta falling off.

5 from 8 votes

Baked Ziti with Vodka Sauce is made with pasta, ground beef, vegetables, spices and plenty of cheese! It’s very similar to a traditional baked ziti recipe, but instead of classic marinara sauce, this version uses vodka sauce which is a bit creamier.

Prep Time30

Cook Time45

Total Time1 15

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 624kcal

Author: Lauren Harris

Ingredients

1 pound ziti pasta (or penne)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion (finely diced)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (divided)
1 pound ground beef
salt
pepper
32 ounces vodka sauce
2 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded, divided)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded, divided)
fresh parsley (minced, for garnish)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375°F.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 5-7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
1 pound ziti pasta
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes or until translucent. Stir in the garlic and 1 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning and cook an additional 30-60 seconds.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 medium onion, 4 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up, until it is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Drain and return to the skillet.
1 pound ground beef, salt, pepper
Stir in the vodka sauce.
32 ounces vodka sauce
Combine the ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan and 1 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning in a large bowl and mix well.
2 cups ricotta cheese, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Spread half of the pasta into the bottom of a large, deep casserole dish. Top with dollops of half of the cheese mixture, then half of the meat sauce.
Repeat with the second half of pasta, cheese mixture and meat sauce.
Top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
Bake, covered for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake and additional 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and just starting to brown.
Garnish with fresh, minced parsley, if desired.
fresh parsley

Notes

Tips and Techniques

You can substitute a different ground meat for beef. Ground turkey, chicken or bison would work great in this recipe.
If you’d rather not use vodka sauce, you can use any other tomato-based sauce that you prefer.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Consume within 3-4 days for best results.

** Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary.

Nutrition