Baked Ziti With Meatballs

5.0
(3)
3 Reviews

A pasta dinner to feed a crowd.

By
Lisa Cericola
Lisa Cericola
Lisa Cericola
Lisa Cericola has been on staff at Southern Living since 2015. As Deputy Editor, Lisa manages the food and travel departments and edits those sections of each issue, as well as digital content. Previously, she was the features editor at Food Network Magazine and has more than 15 years of experience writing, editing, and managing photo shoots for print and digital lifestyle brands.
Southern Living's editorial guidelines
and
Patricia S York
Patricia S York, Assistant Food Editor at Southern Living
Patricia S York

Patricia was the assistant food editor at Southern Living and worked with the Southern Living food team from 2006-2022. She contributed to articles about food, gardening, and pets.

Southern Living's editorial guidelines
Updated on November 3, 2023
Recipe tested by
Southern Living Test Kitchen
Southern Living Test Kitchen
Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen

The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama.

Learn more about the Southern Living Test Kitchen
Southern Living Baked Ziti With Meatballs
Photo:

ANTONIS ACHILLEOS; PROP STYLING: CHRISTINE KEELY; FOOD STYLING: EMILY NABORS HALL
Active Time:
10 mins
Bake Time:
35 mins
Total Time:
45 mins
Servings:
8

Don't tell Grandma, but you do not have to make homemade meatballs and tomato sauce for this baked ziti with meatballs recipe. Of course, you can if you want to, but for a quick yet fulfilling weeknight meal, take advantage of quality convenience products from your grocery store.

The night before preparing this ziti and meatball bake, put your frozen meatballs in the refrigerator so they can thaw. This dish is likely to bubble as it bakes, so we advise setting your baking dish on a foil-lined baking sheet. Prepare the pasta according to package instructions, then add everything together in the baking dish.

To make this ziti and meatball dish special, we added mushrooms, spinach, and pepperoni to the mix, but we think the secret ingredient is really the citrus. Sugar is often added to tomato sauce to help balance acidity. This recipe uses fresh orange juice instead for sweet citrus notes that boost the flavor of the marinara.

Add a loaf of warm homemade bread and serve this meatball dish to your discerning Grandma. We bet she will love it.

Recipe Update

This recipe was updated in November 2023 to increase cooking times.

Ingredients

  • 1 (16-oz.) pkg. ziti, cooked according to pkg. directions for al dente 

  • 2 (24-oz.) jars marinara sauce 

  • 2 (14-oz.) pkg. frozen home-style beef meatballs, thawed

  • 1 (8-oz.) pkg. cremini mushrooms, sliced (about 4 cups)

  • 2 cups baby spinach 

  • 1 cup chopped pepperoni 

  • 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (about 1 large orange)

  • 4 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)

  • Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, and place baking dish on prepared baking sheet.

  2. Stir together pasta, marinara sauce, meatballs, mushrooms, spinach, pepperoni, and orange juice in baking dish.

  3. Bake in preheated oven 25 minutes, covered with aluminum foil.

  4. Remove aluminum foil. Sprinkle with cheese, and continue baking, uncovered, until cheese is melted and meatballs are thoroughly heated, about 10 to 15 minutes. Garnish with basil.

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