Recipes › Pasta › Baked Ziti Recipe

Baked Ziti Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

Baked ziti is a classic Italian-American pasta dish featuring tubes of ziti pasta tossed with seasoned tomato sauce, ricotta, and mozzarella cheese, then baked until golden and bubbling. This comforting casserole strikes the perfect balance between soft pasta and crispy cheese edges. It's an ideal dish for weeknight dinners and feeds a crowd with minimal effort.

Ingredients

• 400g (14 oz) ziti pasta
• 500ml (17 fl oz) marinara sauce, preferably homemade
• 250g (9 oz) whole milk ricotta cheese
• 200g (7 oz) whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 50g (1.75 oz) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
• 1 large egg
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 30ml (2 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil
• 10g (2 teaspoons) dried oregano
• 5g (1 teaspoon) kosher salt
• 2.5g (0.5 teaspoon) freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.

2. Cook the ziti pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, about 8-9 minutes. Drain through a colander and set aside.

3. While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute, then stir in the marinara sauce and dried oregano. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, then remove from heat.

4. In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, half of the mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir until smooth and well incorporated.

5. Add the cooked ziti to the ricotta mixture and gently fold together until the pasta is evenly coated. Pour half of the marinara sauce into the pasta mixture and fold again to combine.

6. Pour the pasta mixture into a lightly oiled 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) baking dish. Spoon the remaining marinara sauce evenly over the top, then sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese across the surface.

7. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese on top is melted, bubbly, and just beginning to brown at the edges.

8. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the dish to set slightly and makes portioning easier.

Substitutions

• Ricotta can be replaced with crumbled goat cheese or Greek yogurt for a tangy variation
• Use part-skim mozzarella or dairy-free mozzarella alternative for lighter or vegan versions
• Marinara sauce can be made with San Marzano or crushed Roma tomatoes mixed with tomato paste for deeper flavor
• Substitute ziti with penne, rigatoni, or any hollow pasta shape of similar size

Tips

• Do not overcook the pasta during the boiling stage; it will continue cooking in the oven and become mushy if cooked fully in advance
• For a crisper, more golden cheese top, increase oven temperature to 200°C (400°F) but watch carefully to prevent burning
• Prepare the entire dish up to the baking step, cover with foil, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking; add 5-10 minutes to baking time if cooking from cold
• A shallow layer of baked ziti allows more cheese edge coverage; avoid overfilling the baking dish

While baked ziti is often considered Italian-American comfort food, it draws inspiration from traditional Italian baked pasta dishes like lasagna and timballo. This simplified, economical version became popular in Italian-American communities during the mid-20th century and remains a staple of family dinners and casual gatherings throughout North America and Italy alike.

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