Oven-Baked Ziti Casserole
Oven-Baked Ziti Casserole features tender pasta folded into a creamy tomato-gravy sauce with browned beef, Parmesan, and herbs, then blanketed in melted mozzarella. It’s rich, comforting, and layered with garlicky, savory notes that make each bite satisfying. Serve it for a cozy family dinner or a casual gathering when you want a hearty, crowd-pleasing bake.
- Prep15 mins
- Cook55 mins
- Serves8
- DifficultyEasy
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Oven-Baked Ziti Casserole, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 51 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 4 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityFair
- 53 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 17
- Heart Health
- 62
- Metabolic
- 31
- Digestive
- 29
- Inflammatory
- 37
- Performance
- 33
- General Wellness
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- 2
Set a large frying pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook and stir ground beef in the hot pan until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomato sauce, gravy, half-and-half, Parmesan cheese, garlic, oregano, and basil. Let simmer for 30 minutes.
- 3
Meanwhile, fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring it to a rolling boil. Stir in ziti, return to a boil, and cook the pasta over medium heat until tender yet firm to the bite, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain.
- 4
Stir the ziti into the meat sauce, then spread the mixture in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the top with mozzarella cheese.
- 5
Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly, 20 to 30 minutes.
- Calories 640.25 kcal High 32%
- Protein 28.92 g Good Source 58%
- Carbohydrate 58.73 g 21%
- Total Fat 32.48 g High 42%
- Saturated Fat 8.27 g High 41%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 65.22 mg High 22%
- Sodium 814.57 mg High 35%
- Dietary Fiber 4.15 g Moderate 15%
- Total Sugars 7.38 g --
- Added Sugars 0.72 g Low Source 1%
- Calcium 245.86 mg Moderate 19%
- Iron 4.28 mg Good Source 24%
- Potassium 432.3 mg Low Source 9%
- Vitamin A 66.14 mcg Low Source 7%
- Vitamin C 5.73 mg Low Source 6%
- Vitamin D 0.1 mcg Low Source 1%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Milk 🥛
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Garlic 🧄
About This Recipe
Oven Baked Ziti Casserole is made with 11 ingredients and serves 8. It takes about 1 hr 10 mins and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Cooking Spray, Dried Basil, Dried Oregano, and Grated Parmesan Cheese. Each serving provides about 640.25 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Oven-Baked Ziti Casserole made of?
- The main ingredients are Cooking Spray, Dried Basil, Dried Oregano, Grated Parmesan Cheese, Gravy. The full list of 11 is above.
- How long does it take to make Oven-Baked Ziti Casserole?
- About 1 hr 10 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 55 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 640.25 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Oven-Baked Ziti Casserole easy to make?
- This recipe is rated easy, with 11 ingredients and 5 steps.
- Is Oven-Baked Ziti Casserole healthy?
- Oven-Baked Ziti Casserole has an easyChef Pro health score of 38/100. Per serving, it provides 640.25 calories and 28.92 g of protein, or 58% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of iron. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 814.57 mg (35% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 8.27 g (41% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Tomatoes and Garlic, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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