Baked Ziti with Meat Sauce is the ultimate comfort food casserole — layered with rich meat sauce, perfectly cooked pasta, creamy cottage cheese, and plenty of melted mozzarella. If you don’t love ricotta or simply don’t have it on hand, this baked ziti with cottage cheese is the perfect solution. The cottage cheese melts beautifully into the layers while adding incredible texture and flavor. It’s hearty, cheesy, and perfect for family dinner or meal prep.
If you need a side, this pairs surprisingly well with Southern-style green beans!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
This baked ziti with meat sauce is everything a classic comfort food casserole should be—hearty, cheesy, and layered with rich, savory flavor. Instead of the traditional ricotta and egg mixture, this version uses strained cottage cheese layered straight into the casserole, keeping it creamy without feeling heavy. The mozzarella and parmesan are layered throughout, giving you that perfect cheesy pull in every bite. It’s simple to assemble, feeds a crowd, and makes incredible leftovers the next day. Whether it’s a weeknight dinner or a Sunday family meal, this baked ziti delivers every single time.
If you love Italian-American food checkout this Olive Garden Gnocchi Soup Copycat!
What is Baked Ziti?
Baked ziti is a classic Italian-American pasta casserole made with pasta, tomato-based meat sauce, and layers of cheese. While many traditional recipes use ricotta, this version uses cottage cheese, which provides a similar creamy texture but with a slightly lighter feel. The cottage cheese melts into the pasta as it bakes, creating rich, cheesy layers without needing to blend or whip it.
Ingredients
For the Meat Sauce
- Ground Italian Sausage
- Ground Beef
- Black Olives
- Fresh Basil
- Dark Brown Sugar
- Italian Seasoning
- Yellow Onion
- Mushrooms
- Minced Garlic
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Fire-roasted Tomato Sauce
- San Marzano Crushed Tomatoes
For the Pasta Layer
- Ziti Pasta
- Cottage Cheese (strained)
- Grated Parmesan
- Shredded Mozzarella
See the recipe card below for exact measurements.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. Boil the Pasta and Prep Sauce
Begin by preheating the oven to 375°F, chopping the fresh basil, dicing the onions, and boiling the ziti to just before al dente.
Once the pasta is done boiling, strain and rinse it to stop the cooking process.
Then, in a cast-iron skillet or large pan, add the olive oil and sauté the onions until they soften.
Add the mushrooms and continue cooking until the onions and mushrooms are browning.
Now add the garlic and sauté for about another minute, until fragrant.
Step 2. Make the Meat Sauce
Next, begin browning the Ground Beef and Italian Sausage with the onion and mushroom mixture.
Once the meat is browned, pour in the crushed San Marzano tomatoes and the fire-roasted tomato sauce, stirring to distribute the meat, mushroom, and onion mixture evenly.
Then stir in the Dark brown sugar, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper.
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the black olives.
Step 3. Layer the Ziti
Now, add a layer of meat sauce to the bottom of a 4-quart deep baking dish, followed by a layer of cooked ziti, a thin layer of cottage cheese, then shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan.
Repeat these layers until the entire baking dish is full, and top it all off with any remaining noodles and cheese.
Step 4. Bake the Ziti and Meat Sauce
Lastly, cover the dish and bake for 30 minutes. Once the 30-minute mark has passed, remove the lid and place the baked ziti under the broiler set to low (550°F) for about 6-8 minutes, or until the top is browned to your liking.
Let the dish rest for at least 10 minutes before serving and enjoy.
Expert Tips
Don’t Overcook the Pasta. Cook it just to al dente. It will continue cooking in the oven.
Let It Rest Before Cutting. Allowing the baked ziti to sit for about 10 minutes helps it set and slice cleanly.
Strain the Cottage Cheese First. Cottage cheese contains more moisture than ricotta. Straining it before layering prevents the baked ziti from becoming watery and helps the casserole set perfectly.
Make It Ahead. Assemble the dish up to 24 hours in advance, cover tightly, and refrigerate before baking.
Freeze for Later. This freezes beautifully. Assemble, wrap tightly, and freeze unbaked for up to 3 months.
No Egg Needed. Unlike traditional ricotta mixtures, this version doesn’t require egg. The cheese sets naturally as it bakes, keeping the texture creamy rather than dense.
Don’t Overmix the Layers. Layer the cottage cheese gently instead of spreading it too aggressively. You want distinct creamy pockets throughout the baked ziti.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. You can substitute cottage cheese or simply add more mozzarella for a simpler version.
Absolutely. Penne or rigatoni work well if you don’t have ziti.
Yes. Spinach, mushrooms, or diced bell peppers are great additions to the meat sauce.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
No. Egg is traditionally added when using ricotta to help bind it, but when using strained cottage cheese layered directly into the casserole, it isn’t necessary. The baked ziti will set perfectly without it.
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📖 Recipe
Baked Ziti with Meat Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Yellow Onion
- 8 Oz Mushrooms Sliced
- 3.8 Oz Black Olives Sliced
- 1 tablespoon Garlic Minced
- 1 lb Ground Italian Sausage
- 1 lb Lean Ground Beef
- 28 Oz San Marzano Tomatoes Crushed
- 2 - 15 Oz Fire Roasted Tomato Sauce Canned
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 6 Basil Leaves Fresh, Chopped
- 2 teaspoon Dark Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper Coarse, Ground
- 2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
- 16 Oz Ziti
- 1 Cup Mozzarella Finely Shredded
- 1 Cup Parmesan Grated
- 1 Cup Cottage Cheese Drained
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F, chopping the fresh basil, dicing the onions, and boiling the ziti just before al dente.
- Once the pasta is done boiling, strain and rinse it to stop the cooking process.
- In a cast-iron skillet or large pan, add the olive oil and sauté the onions until they soften.
- Add the mushrooms and continue cooking until the onions and mushrooms are browning.
- Add the garlic and sauté for about another minute, until fragrant.
- Begin browning the Ground Beef and Italian Sausage with the onion and mushroom mixture.
- Once the meat is browned, pour in the crushed San Marzano tomatoes and the fire-roasted tomato sauce, stirring to distribute the meat, mushroom, and onion mixture evenly.
- Stir in the Dark brown sugar, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the black olives.
- Add a layer of meat sauce to the bottom of a 4-quart deep baking dish, followed by a layer of cooked ziti, a thin layer of cottage cheese, then shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan.
- Repeat these layers until the entire baking dish is full, and top it all off with any remaining noodles and cheese.
- Cover the dish and bake for 30 minutes. Once the 30-minute mark has passed, remove the lid and place the baked ziti under the broiler set to low (550°F) for about 6-8 minutes, or until the top is browned to your liking.
- Let the dish rest for at least 10 minutes before serving and enjoy.
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