Cheesy Baked Ziti with Herb Meatballs

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A comforting Italian casserole with savory meatballs, creamy ricotta, and layers of pasta. This Italian-inspired beef recipe (gluten-free), ready in about 50 minutes, pairs ground beef, Italian sausage, ricotta for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 500 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with rice, quinoa, or a quick salad. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 30 min Serves 6 Italian cuisine 500 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: In a bowl, mix beef, sausage, ricotta, breadcrumbs, egg, 1/2 tsp oregano, and salt/pepper. Form into 1-inch meatballs.
  2. Step 2: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Brown meatballs in a skillet over medium heat, then transfer to a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  3. Step 3: Cook ziti according to package instructions. Layer 1/2 pasta, 1 cup marinara, 1/2 mozzarella, and 1/4 Parmesan. Repeat layers, finishing with marinara and remaining mozzarella/parmesan.
  4. Step 4: Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

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