Name: Easy Baked Ziti
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 pound ziti pasta; 1 medium onion (chopped); 1 pound lean ground beef; 45 ounces spaghetti sauce; 6 ounces provolone cheese (sliced); 1 1/2 cup sour cream; 6 ounces mozzarella cheese (shredded); 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Extra smooth and creamy to balance the sweetness of the tomatoes, this cheesy Baked Ziti with sour cream is worth trying!

Close up serving of saucy and cheesy baked ziti with bits of ground beef on a stack of white plates on a blue and white napkin with the full casserole dish in the background.

Baked Pasta With Sour Cream

Common ingredients layer in a 9 x 13″ dish to make an easy baked ziti that easily feeds a big family.

Like a lasagna with sour cream, the layers of meat sauce, provolone, mozzarella cheese, and ziti are enjoyable. There’s an unexpected tangy twist from adding sour cream to this pasta dish making this baked pasta a great way to mix up the mealtime routine.

A spin on a traditional baked pasta or spaghetti pie with cottage cheese, the sour cream and ground beef gives this pasta a classic taste that you’ve had before and enjoy.

Close up of a fork cutting a bite of baked ziti pasta off of a warm serving covered with melted cheese on a white plate in front of the dish full.

Ingredients Needed:

Ziti – a smooth tubular pasta is the centerpiece of this baked pasta, but penne, rigatoni or another small tubular pasta works fine.
Sour Cream – sets this recipe apart from your typical baked pasta
Cheese – slices of Provolone, shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan create a wonderful combination.
Meat Sauce – we like ground beef with onions and a jar of spaghetti sauce heated together, Italian sausage is a great substitute that we love in our Baked Spaghetti and Baked Pasta Pizza.

Ingredients to make baked ziti are ground beef, onion, spaghetti sauce, sour cream, mozzarella cheese, slices of provolone, grated parmesan and ziti on a wooden counter top.

If you enjoy pasta with a twist also check out our Baked Feta Pasta with Chicken and No Boil Macaroni and cheese with cottage cheese.

Step By Step Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉. Cook the ziti according to the directions on the package. I typically add a tablespoon of butter to the pasta to prevent sticking while I cook the meat.

Brown ground beef and drain any excess fat.

Add onions and stir over medium high heat for a few minutes until they begin to soften.

Then add pasta sauce and stir. Turn down to low heat and cover to prevent sauce from boiling and popping out of the skillet. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Wooden spoon stirring chopped onion into a skillet of browned ground beef.

Red pasta sauce poured over ground beef and onions in a non-stick skillet.

Make Layers in a 9 x 13 Dish

The pictures below show the second layer of each ingredient.

Begin by layering half of the ziti in the baking dish. Top with slices of provolone.

Half a pound of cooked ziti spread over a layer of pasta sauce in a glass 9 x 13" dish.

Four slices of provolone arranged over cooked ziti pasta in a casserole dish.

Spread sour cream over the cheese and pasta. Using a smooth pasta like ziti and slices of provolone makes this much easier.

I like to use a silicone spatula to spread the sour cream over top of the pasta and slices of cheese.

Then layer half of the meat sauce.

Thin layer of sour cream spread over cheese and ziti in a 9 x 13 dish.

Thick layer of meat sauce spread over layers of pasta and cheese in a casserole dish of ziti.

Repeat layers and sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan cheeses on top.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes in a preheated oven. If the dish seems too full set on a baking sheet in case it bubbles over the edges while baking.

Slices of provolone and grated parmesan layered over top of a ziti casserole with sour cream.

Black serving spoon in the corner of a creamy dish of baked ziti with plenty of cheese, ground beef and sour cream.

Serve warm and enjoy!

Top this pasta dish with sour cream with a thick layer of meat sauce and finish with a little bit of cheese. Bake uncovered to get a nice, light golden brown finish on top.

Casserole can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated, but cold dish should be placed in a cold oven so they can warm up together. Baking time will increase by 15 to 20 minutes.

Close up of a pan of delicious and tangy baked ziti in a glass dish with a spoon scooping a serving out.

More Easy Dinner Ideas:

Serving of smooth tubes of ziti pasta covered in a tomato based meat sauce and melted cheese with a fork in the center on a white plate.

Easy Baked Ziti

Created by Jennifer Osterholt

Servings: servings

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 45

Extra smooth and creamy to balance the sweetness of the tomatoes this easy Baked Ziti with sour cream is worth trying!

Ingredients

▢ 1 pound ziti pasta
▢ 1 medium onion chopped
▢ 1 pound lean ground beef
▢ 45 ounces spaghetti sauce
▢ 6 ounces provolone cheese sliced
▢ 1 1/2 cup sour cream
▢ 6 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded
▢ 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Cook Ziti pasta in salted water according to the directions on the package until al dente.
1 pound ziti pasta
In a large skillet brown onion and ground beef over medium heat.
1 medium onion, 1 pound lean ground beef
Add spaghetti sauce, and simmer 15 minutes.
45 ounces spaghetti sauce
Preheat oven to 350℉. Lightly grease a 9 x 13" baking dish.
Layer half of the ziti, provolone cheese slices, sour cream, half of sauce mixture. Repeat layers.
6 ounces provolone cheese, 1 1/2 cup sour cream
Sprinkle Parmesan and mozzarella cheese on top. Bake uncovered in a preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the cheeses are melted.
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 6 ounces mozzarella cheese

Nutrition

Calories: 448kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 27gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 909mgPotassium: 741mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1029IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 324mgIron: 3mg

“Plowing Through Life” is not a dietitian or nutrition professional. Any nutritional information shared is an estimate and can vary greatly depending on specific products are used. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator of your choice.