Ultimate Meaty, Cheesy Baked Ziti – Loaded with ground beef, Italian sausage, FIVE cheeses, and homemade roasted tomato sauce—this Sunday meal hits different.

This ain’t your average baked ziti. It’s packed with flavor, layered to perfection, and served with fried chicken wings, Caesar salad, and garlic bread for the ultimate comfort food experience. Get ready to knock out after this one.

Ultimate Meaty, Cheesy Baked Ziti

📝 Ingredients

For the Roasted Tomato Sauce:

• 6 large tomatoes, halved
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp basil paste (or 1 tsp dried basil)
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• Seasonings to taste: Italian seasoning, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chili flakes (optional)

For the Meat:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ onion, diced
• ½ green bell pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lbs ground beef
• 2 lbs ground Italian sausage
• Seasonings to taste (same as above)

For the Cheese Mixture:

• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 cup meat sauce (from above)
• 1½ cups Colby Jack cheese, shredded
• 1½ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 cup mild orange cheddar, shredded
• 1 cup sharp white cheddar, shredded
• Fresh parsley, for garnish

For the Pasta:

• 1 lb ziti pasta, cooked al dente

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. Roast the Veggies:

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

On a baking sheet, spread out tomatoes, onion, red and green bell peppers.

Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 40 minutes.

2. Make the Sauce:

Peel skins from roasted tomatoes, remove cores, and transfer everything to a large pot.

Blend with an immersion blender until smooth.

Add garlic, basil paste, parsley, sugar, and seasonings.

Simmer on low for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

3. Cook the Meat:

In a skillet, heat olive oil. Sauté onion, bell pepper, and garlic.

Add ground beef and sausage. Brown and season well.

Once cooked, stir meat into the sauce and simmer for 20 minutes.

4. Prep Cheese & Pasta:

Cook ziti noodles according to package. Drain.

In a bowl, combine cooked noodles, ricotta, egg, and 1 cup of meat sauce.

In another bowl, mix all shredded cheeses together.

5. Assemble:

In a greased 9×13 baking dish, layer meat sauce, noodle mixture, shredded cheese.

Repeat layers: meat sauce → noodles → cheese, ending with cheese.

Sprinkle fresh parsley on top.

6. Bake:

Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 40 minutes.

Optional: Remove foil for last 5 minutes to brown the top.

🍽️ Serving Suggestions:

• Fried chicken wings
• Caesar salad
• Garlic bread