Million Dollar Baked Ziti

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Million Dollar Baked Ziti is the ultimate comfort food that tastes like a million bucks! It's packed with layers of tender noodles, ground meat, spaghetti sauce, and plenty of cheesy goodness.

Prep Time40

Cook Time35

Total Time1 15

Course: Dinner, entree, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cheesy baked ziti, cream cheese baked ziti, cream cheese pasta sauce, Million Dollar Baked Ziti, Million Dollar Baked Ziti recipe

Servings: servings

Author: Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

16 ounces uncooked ziti noodles
1 pound Italian sausage
1 pound lean ground beef
2 teaspoons minced garlic, about 2 large cloves
2 (24-ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup cottage cheese
½ cup sour cream
3 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and spray a 6-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the ziti according to the instructions on the package. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, cook the Italian sausage and ground beef in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until no pink remains.
Drain off the fat and add the garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes before adding the spaghetti sauce and Italian seasoning. Bring to a simmer over medium heat before reducing the heat to lower and simmering for 10 minutes.
Add the cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, and 1 cup of mozzarella to a medium bowl and beat with a hand mixer until combined.
Add the cheese mixture to the sauce and stir until it has all melted and combined.
Stir the cooked ziti noodles into the sauce before pouring it all into the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the cheese is melted and browned on top. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve.

Notes

For 6 Servings: To make this recipe for a smaller amount of people, cut all of the ingredients in half and bake it in a 3 or 4-quart baking dish for about 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and browning.

Nutrition

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