Baked ziti is a classic Italian-American comfort dish of tender pasta layered with rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and bubbling melted cheese. It is the ultimate crowd-pleasing casserole, perfect for family dinners and potlucks alike.
For a vegetarian version, omit the ground beef and add sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, or spinach to the sauce instead. You can assemble the entire dish up to 24 hours in advance, cover, and refrigerate. Add 10 minutes to the covered baking time if going straight from the refrigerator to the oven.
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 12 oz ziti pasta (or penne)
- 1 lb ground beef (or Italian sausage)
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 24 oz marinara sauce (or your favorite jarred tomato sauce)
- 15 oz whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves (for garnish)
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 12 oz ziti pasta (or penne)
- 1 lb ground beef (or Italian sausage)
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 24 oz marinara sauce (or your favorite jarred tomato sauce)
- 15 oz whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves (for garnish)
Instructions
Preheat oven and prepare baking dish
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil or nonstick spray.
Equipment: 9x13-inch baking dish
Boil and par-cook the ziti
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
Cook the ziti according to package directions until 2 minutes shy of al dente.
Drain and set aside. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven.
Equipment: large pot, colander
Prep aromatics and heat skillet
Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Equipment: large skillet, cutting board, knife
Sauté onion and garlic
Add the diced onion to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened.
Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant.
Equipment: large skillet, wooden spoon
Brown the ground beef
Add the ground beef to the skillet, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.
Cook until fully browned with no pink remaining.
Drain any excess fat from the pan.
Equipment: large skillet, wooden spoon
Build and simmer the meat sauce
Stir the marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes into the meat mixture.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer.
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Equipment: large skillet, wooden spoon
Mix the ricotta filling
In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, half of the Parmesan cheese, 0.5 teaspoon of salt, and 0.25 teaspoon of black pepper.
Stir until smooth and well combined.
Equipment: medium bowl, spoon
Combine pasta and meat sauce
Add the drained ziti to the meat sauce and stir gently to coat all the pasta evenly.
Equipment: large skillet, wooden spoon
Layer the baked ziti
Spread half of the pasta and meat sauce mixture into the prepared baking dish in an even layer.
Drop spoonfuls of the ricotta mixture evenly over the pasta layer, then spread it gently with the back of a spoon.
Sprinkle 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella over the ricotta layer.
Add the remaining pasta and meat sauce on top in an even layer, then top with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and the remaining Parmesan cheese.
Equipment: 9x13-inch baking dish, spoon
Bake covered
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes.
Equipment: 9x13-inch baking dish, aluminum foil, oven
Bake uncovered until golden
Remove the foil and continue baking until the cheese on top is melted, golden, and bubbling at the edges.
Equipment: oven
Rest and serve
Remove from the oven and let the baked ziti rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired and serve.
Tomorrow's Meal
Crispy Baked Ziti Cake
Cold baked ziti sliced into squares, pan-fried until the edges are golden and crispy while the center stays creamy
You'll need to pick up:
Olive oil for fryingFresh basil for garnishExtra parmesan cheese
Quick overview:
- 1.Cut cold baked ziti into 3-inch squares
- 2.Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat
- 3.Fry ziti squares 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy
- 4.Transfer to paper towels, top with fresh basil and parmesan, serve immediately
Before you cook
Cook notes
- • You can assemble the entire dish up to 24 hours in advance, cover, and refrigerate. Add 10 minutes to the covered baking time if going straight from the refrigerator to the oven.
- • Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days before serving.
- • For a vegetarian version, omit the ground beef and add sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, or spinach to the sauce instead.
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