Baked Ziti (Printer Friendly)

Classic Italian-American pasta casserole with ziti, tomato sauce, and three cheeses baked until golden.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 lb ziti or penne pasta

→ Sauce

02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
06 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
07 - 1 tsp dried oregano
08 - 1 tsp dried basil
09 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
10 - 1 tsp sugar
11 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Cheese Mixture

12 - 15 oz ricotta cheese
13 - 1 large egg
14 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
15 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tbsp dried)

→ Assembly

16 - 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
17 - Additional grated Parmesan, for topping

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray or olive oil.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti pasta until just al dente, about 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain well and set aside.
03 - While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion until softened, about 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, dried oregano, dried basil, red pepper flakes if using, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
05 - In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, grated Parmesan, and fresh parsley. Mix thoroughly until smooth and well blended. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
06 - Place the drained pasta in a large bowl. Add half of the prepared tomato sauce and toss gently to coat evenly.
07 - Spread half the sauced pasta in the prepared baking dish. Dollop half the ricotta mixture over the pasta and spread gently. Sprinkle with half the mozzarella cheese.
08 - Add remaining pasta mixture, followed by remaining ricotta mixture and mozzarella. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the top. Sprinkle with additional grated Parmesan.
09 - Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes.
10 - Remove foil and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden on top.
11 - Let the baked ziti rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow layers to set. Serve warm.

# Pro Advice:

01 -
  • The ricotta mixture creates these incredible creamy pockets throughout the dish that surprise you with every bite
  • It actually tastes better the next day, so youre basically meal prepping while making dinner
  • The whole house fills with that incredible Italian restaurant aroma that makes everyone drift toward the kitchen
02 -
  • Undercooking the pasta by 2 minutes is not optional, it will turn to mush otherwise
  • The ricotta mixture needs to be completely smooth or youll get grainy pockets in your finished dish
  • That resting period is what transforms it from pasta with sauce into actual cohesive slices
03 -
  • Grate your own mozzarella from a block, pre shredded cheese has anti caking agents that prevent proper melting
  • Use full fat ricotta, low fat versions can become watery and grainy when baked
  • Season your sauce aggressively at each step, the pasta will absorb some salt during baking
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