Tulo

Easy Baked Ziti Recipe

A bubbling dish of baked ziti with golden melted mozzarella on top and a corner scooped out to show the layers of pasta, meat sauce, and ricotta underneath.

Undercooking the ziti before it goes into the oven keeps the noodles from turning mushy as they finish absorbing sauce while baking, and folding most of the pasta with sauce before layering means every bite is coated instead of just the top and bottom.

Prep
25 min
Cook
40 min
Total
1 hr 5 min
Servings
8

Ingredients

Servings8
  • 16 oz ziti pasta, dry
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 lb Italian sausage or ground beef
  • 48 oz marinara sauce
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 15 oz ricotta cheese, whole milk
  • 1 large egg egg, large
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Nutrition per serving

Calories
673
Protein
36g
Carbs
58g
Fat
33g

Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.

Need different units or a different yield? Try our Conversion Calculator →

Instructions

  1. 1Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  2. 2Cook the ziti about 2 minutes short of the package's al dente time, roughly 8 minutes. Drain well and set aside; it will finish cooking in the oven.
  3. 3Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage or ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned, 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
  4. 4Stir in the marinara sauce, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
  5. 5In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta, egg, half the parmesan, 1 cup of the mozzarella, the basil, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt until smooth.
  6. 6Add the drained ziti to the skillet with the meat sauce and toss to coat, reserving about 1 cup of sauce for the top.
  7. 7Spread a thin layer of the reserved sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Add half the sauced pasta, dollop the ricotta mixture evenly over it, then top with the remaining pasta. Spread the last of the reserved sauce over the top and scatter with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
  8. 8Cover tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
  9. 9Remove the foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden in spots and the edges are bubbling.
  10. 10Let the ziti rest for 10 minutes before serving so the layers set enough to hold their shape when scooped.

Tips & variations

  • Swap the sausage for the same amount of crumbled Italian turkey sausage or skip meat entirely and stir a drained 15-ounce can of white beans into the sauce for a vegetarian version.
  • Adding the ricotta mixture as a dollop layer rather than mixing it into the pasta keeps distinct pockets of creamy cheese throughout instead of everything tasting uniformly saucy.
  • A pinch of red pepper flakes added with the garlic gives the sauce a mild background heat without making the dish spicy.
  • If using a jarred sauce that's on the sweeter side, a splash of red wine vinegar or a squeeze of lemon at the end balances it out.

Storage & reheating

Cover and refrigerate leftover baked ziti for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or cover the whole dish with foil and reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 20 minutes until warmed through. To freeze, cool completely, then wrap the baking dish tightly or transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

  • Salting the pasta water generously is the only chance the noodles themselves get seasoned, since the sauce coats but doesn't fully penetrate them once baked.
  • Letting the assembled dish rest for the full 10 minutes after baking keeps it from sliding apart into a soupy mess when served; it firms up as it sits.

FAQ

Can I assemble baked ziti ahead of time?

Yes. Assemble the full dish up to a day ahead, cover tightly, and refrigerate unbaked. Add about 10 minutes to the covered baking time since it will start out cold.

Do I need to add an egg to the ricotta mixture?

The egg helps the ricotta layer set into distinct, sliceable pockets rather than staying loose and runny once baked; leaving it out still tastes fine but the layer will be softer.

Why does my baked ziti come out watery?

This usually means the pasta was boiled fully to al dente rather than undercooked, or the ricotta was a very wet, low-fat variety. Draining ricotta in a fine sieve for 10 minutes before mixing removes excess liquid.

Can I use a different pasta shape?

Penne, rigatoni, or medium shells all work in place of ziti since they hold sauce in their ridges and tubes the same way; avoid very thin pasta like spaghetti, which won't hold up under the layers.

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