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Easy Million Dollar Ziti

Writer: amydarley
amydarley
6 hours ago
3 min read

If you need an easy, cheesy family dinner, you have to try this Million Dollar Ziti!


This is basically baked ziti taken up a notch. The pasta gets coated in creamy Alfredo sauce, then mixed with a hearty ground beef and marinara sauce and topped with plenty of mozzarella before going into the oven.


It’s creamy, cheesy, comforting and SO easy to make. I served ours with breadsticks and a Caesar-style salad, and it made the perfect family dinner!



Watch Me Make It

Here’s exactly how I made my Million Dollar Ziti!

Million Dollar Ziti


Prep Time: Approximately 20 minutes

Bake Time: 15–20 minutes

Oven Temperature: 375°F

Servings: Approximately 6


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Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef

  • Salt, to taste

  • Black pepper, to taste

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1 large jar (24–32 oz) marinara or spaghetti sauce

  • 1 box (14–16 oz) penne or ziti pasta

  • 1 jar (15 oz) Alfredo sauce

  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

What I Use: I like using Barilla Protein+ pasta for this recipe.


Optional for Serving

  • Breadsticks

  • Caesar salad

  • Garlic bread

  • Extra Parmesan cheese

  • Red pepper flakes


Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

  2. In a large oven-safe skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. Drain any excess grease.

  3. Season the beef with salt, black pepper and garlic powder.

  4. Pour the marinara sauce into the skillet with the ground beef. Stir everything together, cover and allow it to simmer over low heat while you prepare the pasta.

  5. Cook the penne or ziti according to the package directions until just al dente. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

  6. Pour the Alfredo sauce over the warm pasta and stir until all of the noodles are evenly coated.

  7. Add the Alfredo-coated pasta to the meat sauce and stir until everything is combined.

  8. If you're using an oven-safe skillet, you can leave everything right in the skillet. Otherwise, transfer the pasta mixture to a lightly greased 9×13-inch baking dish.

  9. Sprinkle approximately 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.

  10. Bake uncovered at 375°F for approximately 15–20 minutes, until the pasta is hot and bubbly and the cheese is completely melted.

  11. If you'd like the cheese a little more golden on top, broil it briefly at the end. Keep a close eye on it so it doesn't burn.

  12. Allow the ziti to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

  13. Serve with breadsticks and a Caesar-style salad and enjoy!



A Few Notes

I use Barilla Protein+ pasta, but regular ziti, penne or another similar short pasta works perfectly.


You can use your family's favorite marinara or spaghetti sauce. A 24–32 oz jar works well depending on how saucy you like your pasta.


The Alfredo sauce is what makes this extra creamy and gives it that “million dollar” flavor without adding a bunch of extra ingredients.


Since the beef and pasta are already cooked before this goes into the oven, you’re really just baking it long enough to heat everything through and melt the cheese.

This is also a great dinner to pair with a simple Caesar salad and breadsticks!



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