Cheesy Ziti in Cast Iron
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with our Cheesy Ziti recipe. Baked to perfection in a cast iron skillet, this dish is a family-friendly favorite that promises a to be an absolute favorite. An easy-to-make, crowd-pleasing Italian classic!
Equipment
- 1 Cast iron pan (not a skillet)
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey
- 6 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 24 ounce marinara sauce
- 1/2 lb. ziti pasta
- 2 cup Mozzarella cheese shredded
- 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 tsp basil dried, plus extra for garnish
- 1 tsp oregano dried, plus extra for garnish
- 1 tsp parsley dried, plus extra for garnish
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or to taste
- Kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F, and bring a large pot of water to a boil (salt the water). Once the salted water is boiling, stir in your pasta.
- Place the cast iron pan over medium heat and wait for it to heat up. Add the ground beef or turkey. Brown the meat, breaking up into smaller bits, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Drain any excess fat after the meat has browned. Stir in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
- At this point, the pasta should be done. Drain the pasta and set aside for the next step.
- Stir your favorite marinara sauce into the cast iron skillet, then add in the basil, oregano, parsley and red pepper. Top all of that with the cooked pasta, then stir well making sure to coat all of the pasta with the marinara sauce.
- Sprinkle the Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese evenly on top. Salt and pepper to taste, and dash the top with dried basil, oregano and parsley (and red pepper if your family likes it spicier).
- Transfer the cast iron skillet to the oven and bake until the cheese has melted and browned, about 5 minutes. Enjoy!
Notes
- Try adding in sausage to the meat for a kick of flavor.