Ingredients:

  • 1.5 lb ground beef (80/20 lean)
  • 1 lb ziti pasta
  • 1 (28 oz) can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
  • 15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 3 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese (approx. 12 oz)
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Italian seasoning (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti until aggressively al dente—about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain the pasta and set aside.
  2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain off any excess fat (accounting for the 25% fat reduction for nutrition calculations).
  3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion to the meat and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and heavy cream. Season generously with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes.
  4. In a medium bowl, combine the whole milk ricotta, the egg, and half of the grated Parmesan cheese. Stir until fully combined and smooth.
  5. Pour the cooked, al dente ziti directly into the meat sauce and toss until every piece is evenly coated.
  6. Assemble the ziti: Spread half of the pasta and sauce mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Carefully dollop the entire ricotta mixture over the first layer. Top with the remaining pasta mixture.
  7. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and the remaining Parmesan cheese evenly over the top layer.
  8. Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes until the sauce is bubbling. Increase the temperature to high (or switch to broil if necessary) and bake for a final 10 minutes to achieve a golden-brown, caramelized crust.