Baked Ziti with Meatballs

Baked ziti with meatballs is a comforting dish that combines pasta and creamy ricotta, mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano cheeses with a simple marinara and tiny meatballs.  Baked until bubbly and golden on top, this baked pasta is sure to be a favorite in your home!

I’m a big believer that tiny meatballs can make any dish better.  

I add them to my chicken soup with meatballs, and macaroni and broccoli with meatballs, and they’re always a huge hit.

This baked pasta with tiny meatballs was born out of my love for meatballs and baked pasta and I know you’ll love this one too.

When I make this I’ll usually split it into two casserole dishes: one to be eaten right away, and another to have for during the week when things get busy.  But if you want one dish, a 9×13-inch dish works well.

This baked meatball pasta is great with a simple sauteed green, like broccoli rabe, or with a green salad.

How to make it

Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.

1. Preheat the oven to 375f,  set the rack to the middle level, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Mince 3 cloves of garlic and 1/4 cup worth of flat-leaf parsley and add them to a large bowl along with a 1/2 pound of ground chuck, 1/2 pound of ground pork, 2 large eggs, 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt, 1/2 cup of Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, and 1/2 cup of grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Mix with your hands until incorporated, but try not to overmix since that can stiffen up the meatballs.
2. Using your hands, begin to roll tiny meatballs about 1/2 to 3/4 inch in diameter and place them on the baking sheet.  Note: Keep a small bowl of cold water next to you to moisten your hands before rolling the meatballs.  This will help you roll them without the meat sticking to your hands.

3. Continue rolling the meatballs until the mixture is gone and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until they reach 165f internally.
4. While the meatballs cook, start to prepare the sauce.  Dice one medium onion and slice 4 cloves of garlic.  Add the onion to a large pan or pot along with 1/4 cup of olive oil and saute over medium heat until translucent (about 5 minutes).  
5. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes, or until fragrant, then add 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes and cook for an additional 30 seconds. 
6. Add 2 28-ounce cans of crushed plum tomatoes and bring the sauce to a simmer.  Note: if using whole plum tomatoes, you can place them in a separate bowl and crush with your hands.  Blender pulsing also works.

7. Taste test the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Allow the sauce to continue to simmer on low while you bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Cook 1 pound of ziti (or penne, rigatoni, etc) to 2 minutes less than al dente.
8. Place 4 cups of sauce into a large bowl and add the pasta.  Add the meatballs, 1 pound of ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of grated Pecorino Romano, and 3/4 pound of shredded mozzarella cheese and mix well.  Note: if you’d like to save meatballs on the side to add to the top, reserve about 8 on the side for use in step 10.
9. Prepare a 9×13 baking dish by placing a 1/4-inch thick layer of sauce on the bottom.  Note: we used two smaller baking dishes in the images below.
10. Pour the pasta mixture into the baking dish and top with a thin layer of sauce and a 1/4 pound of shredded mozzarella.  If you reserved meatballs for the end, add them now. 

11. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.  Note: placing the baking dish on top of a baking sheet will help prevent any spillage that may occur. 
12. Once the ziti is browned on top, remove it from the oven, or for extra color, broil for 1-2 minutes but watch carefully.  Wait at least 10 minutes before serving to allow the pasta to settle.  Enjoy!

Top tips for baked ziti with meatballs

• Pasta. We used ziti pasta for this recipe but you can use any tubular-shaped pasta, such as rigatoni or penne. Be sure to undercook the pasta to about 2 minutes less than al dente because the pasta will continue to cook as it’s baked in the oven.  Undercooking will help prevent mushy baked ziti.
• Meatballs. We used a combination of beef and pork for these meatballs as we find the combination to be the most flavorful, but you can also use our turkey meatballs if you prefer. When making the meatballs, mix only until combined to help prevent tough meatballs.
• Baking. Be sure to place a thick layer of sauce on the bottom of your baking dish (or dishes) as this will help prevent the baked ziti from sticking to the bottom.  When baking, if you’d like a more golden top, place it under the broiler for 1-2 minutes but be sure to watch carefully to prevent burning.

More comfy baked pastas

Here are some of our favorite baked pastas to get you comfy and cozy!

• Riso al forno – not pasta, but just as good, baked rice with peas and cheese in a tomato-meat sauce.
• Baked penne with Italian sausage – ricotta, mozzarella, sausage and tomato sauce.
• Creamy mushroom pasta bake – rigatoni, roasted mushrooms, thyme, spinach, ricotta, and fontina.

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