Ingredients

• 1 lb. pasta (ziti, penne, or rigatoni)
  
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
  
• ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan
  
• 1 egg, whisked
  
• 2 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, separated
  
• 1 lb. ground beef (see notes)
  
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
  
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  
• ½ teaspoon each: salt and pepper
  
• 1 teaspoon each: onion powder and Italian seasoning
  
• 2 (24 oz.) jars marinara sauce
  
• Fresh parsley, for serving

Instructions

1. Set your oven to 375°F.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the ricotta, Parmesan, egg, and 1 cup of the mozzarella. Keep this mixture aside.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil while starting the meat sauce. Cook the pasta until it’s 2 minutes shy of al dente, then drain—it will finish cooking in the oven.
4. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with the diced onion. Drain off any excess fat. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Cook for another minute.
5. Pour in the marinara sauce, stir well, warm it through, and remove the pan from the heat.
6. Toss the drained pasta with about three-quarters of the meat sauce. Transfer everything to a lightly greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
7. Scatter spoonfuls of the ricotta mixture across the pasta, then spread the remaining meat sauce over the top.
8. Cover the dish and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the cover, sprinkle the remaining 1 ½ cups of mozzarella on top, increase the temperature to 400°F, and bake for another 10–15 minutes. The cheese should be melted, bubbly, and starting to brown.
9. Finish with chopped parsley and enjoy—garlic bread on the side is always a win.

• This recipe calls for a lot of marinara because the pasta absorbs quite a bit during baking. You can reduce the amount if you prefer, though the dish will be less saucy.
  
• Ziti, penne, and rigatoni all hold sauce well; ridged varieties (“rigati”) cling even better.
  
• You can mix and match ground meats—beef, sausage, or veal all work nicely.
  
• Freshly shredded mozzarella and Parmesan melt better than pre-shredded versions.
  
• To make ahead:
  
  • Prepare the meat mixture as written, stir in the marinara, and let it cool.
    
  • Boil the pasta and assemble the casserole.
    
  • Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
    
  • When baking from cold, keep it covered at 375°F for 30 minutes, then top with cheese and bake at 400°F for 10–15 minutes.
    
  • The assembled dish can also be frozen; thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours before baking.