Baked Ziti

No ratings yet

I started making baked ziti after trying a version at my neighbor's house last spring. The cheese pulled apart in long threads when she lifted her fork, and the sauce clung to every nook of the pasta like it had been designed for that exact purpose. I took notes while I was still chewing.

I keep this recipe because it feeds six with leftovers and requires zero special trips to the store. The trick is using ricotta instead of just mozzarella — it keeps the layers from feeling heavy, which matters more than you'd think when you're feeding three hungry people plus yourself.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 20

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 385

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

For the sauce

1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic minced
28 oz crushed tomatoes one large can
6 oz tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 cup fresh basil chopped (plus more for garnish)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and black pepper

For the cheese filling

15 oz whole milk ricotta
1 large egg
2 cloves garlic grated
1/4 cup Parmesan freshly grated
Salt to taste

To assemble

16 oz ziti pasta cooked according to package
8 oz mozzarella shredded
1/4 cup Parmesan for topping

Method

Preheat your oven to 375°F and lightly spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking oil or brush with olive oil.
Cook the ziti in salted water until just shy of al dente — it'll finish cooking in the oven, so pull it about two minutes early. Drain and set aside.
While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Pour in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, red pepper flakes, and half the fresh basil. Stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Let simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes while you prepare the ricotta mixture — this is when good sauce starts tasting like good sauce.
In a medium bowl, mix together ricotta, egg, grated garlic, Parmesan, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Taste and adjust if needed — it should taste slightly saltier than you think since it'll be baked with the sauce.
Spread about one cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of your prepared baking dish to prevent sticking. Layer half the cooked ziti on top, then dollop the ricotta mixture over and spread evenly with a spoon. Sprinkle half the mozzarella over the ricotta layer. Add the remaining pasta, then pour the rest of the sauce on top — make sure it covers everything you can see. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes until cheese is golden brown and bubbling at the edges. Let rest for 5 minutes before cutting — this step is non-negotiable or your slices will slide apart on the plate. Serve warm, garnished with fresh basil if you have it.

Nutrition

Calories: 385kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 21gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 680mgPotassium: 420mgFiber: 4gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 35IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 280mgIron: 3mg

Notes

Substitutions: Use any short pasta if ziti isn't available — penne, rigatoni, or even fusilli work fine. If you have leftover meat sauce on hand, stir in a pound of browned ground beef with the tomato sauce and skip the ricotta layer entirely for a richer version.

Storage: Cover leftovers tightly and refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave with a splash of water or reheat the whole dish covered at 350°F for about 20 minutes until warmed through. The sauce actually tastes better the next day as flavors have time to meld — I know this from eating cold leftovers straight from my container and thinking, "Wait, this is good."

Tried this recipe?