Description
This healthy baked ziti is a comforting weeknight dinner that’s macro-friendly, gluten-free, and great for meal prep. Made with lean ground beef, cottage cheese, and marinara, it’s high in protein and full of flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 box ziti pasta noodles (8 oz total)
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef (96/4)
- 3 cups marinara sauce, divided
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese
- 4 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.
2. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Add ground beef and Italian seasoning. Cook until browned, breaking it into crumbles. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Preheat oven to 375°F and spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
5. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, browned beef, 2 cups marinara sauce, cottage cheese, half the mozzarella, and the egg. Mix until well combined.
6. Spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish.
7. Add the beef and pasta mixture on top and spread evenly.
8. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of marinara sauce and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
9. Bake for 25 minutes. Optional: Broil for 1–2 minutes for a bubbly, golden top.
10. Divide into 6 servings and garnish with fresh basil if desired.
Notes
Nutrition facts reflect the ingredients and amounts listed.
Use gluten-free ziti to keep this recipe gluten-free.
Swap cottage cheese for ricotta if preferred.
Perfect for meal prep—store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Dishes
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 422
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 610mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 4.3g
- Protein: 40.2g
- Cholesterol: 110mg