Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Gather your baking dish and other ingredients to streamline the cooking process.

Fill a large pot with water, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Add the ziti pasta and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef or Italian sausage, cooking for 5-7 minutes until browned. Drain excess fat.

Stir in the marinara sauce into the cooked meat mixture and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, mix the drained pasta with ricotta cheese, half of the mozzarella, and half of the parmesan cheeses. Fold in fresh basil.

In the baking dish, spread half of the meat sauce. Layer half of the pasta mixture over the sauce. Repeat, finishing with the remaining meat sauce.

Top the dish with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Allow the baked ziti to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.