Baked ziti was one of my favorite meals growing up. It was also one of the first recipes I mastered when living on my own. With its simple ingredients, the recipe couldn’t be easier to assemble—plus, who doesn’t love a meal that creates leftovers for days, especially when it combines pasta and plenty of bubbly cheese?
If you like the flavors of lasagna but don’t have the time to fuss with all the ingredient prep and layering, you should definitely give this baked ziti with ricotta a try. Baked in a 13×9-in. casserole dish, this easy baked ziti also makes enough for a crowd, making it an ideal potluck recipe or a contribution to a meal train.
What is baked ziti?
Baked ziti is an Italian-American baked pasta dish. Ziti noodles are combined with meat, pasta sauce and several cheeses, and then baked until hot and bubbly. While this particular recipe features ground beef and ricotta cheese, baked ziti is easy to alter to your personal preferences. Prefer different ground meat? Go for it. Feeding a vegetarian crowd? Skip the meat all together and add in your favorite vegetables.
Ingredients for Baked Ziti
- Ziti: Ziti is a smooth tube noodle with straight ends. If you don’t have ziti on hand, penne is an easy substitute. The only difference is that penne has diagonally-cut ends, rather than straight ones like ziti.
- Ground beef: Although my family tended to make the recipe as a meatless meal, a classic baked ziti recipe uses a meat sauce in the filling. A lean ground beef works best.
- Spaghetti sauce: Use your favorite marinara sauce in this baked ziti with ground beef recipe, or scoop one of our Test Kitchen’s top picks for the best jarred pasta sauce. Store-bought sauce makes this easy baked ziti recipe a breeze, but there’s nothing stopping you from making a homemade marinara sauce if you have the time.
- Eggs: Eggs act as a binder for the cheesy filling as it bakes in the oven.
- Ricotta: For the richest and creamiest flavor, make baked ziti with ricotta. Whole-milk ricotta is ideal, but part-skim will also work in this recipe. You can substitute cottage cheese for the ricotta, though the texture of the filling won’t be quite as creamy.
- Mozzarella: Shredded mozzarella is ideal for this recipe, since fresh mozzarella is a bit too moist. To get the meltiest cheese, shred the mozzarella yourself—although pre-packaged shredded cheese works if you want to keep the recipe as simple as possible.
- Parmesan: Sure, you could use the stuff from the can, but for the best flavor, freshly grate your own cheese.
Directions
Step 1: Cook the pasta
Cook the pasta according to package directions.
Editor’s Tip: Do not overcook the pasta. Use the low end of the pasta’s recommended cooking time, since the noodles will cook a little more in the oven.
Step 2: Brown the beef
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large skillet, cook the beef over medium heat until no longer pink and drain. Stir in the spaghetti sauce.
Step 3: Make the cheese filling
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, ricotta cheese, 1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese. Drain the pasta. Add the pasta to the cheese mixture and stir until blended.
Step 4: Layer the ingredients
Spoon a third of the meat sauce into a greased 13×9-in. baking dish. Top with half of the pasta mixture. Repeat layers. Top with the remaining meat sauce.
Editor’s Tip: Don’t need to feed a crowd? Split the ingredients across two 8×8-in. or 9×9-in. baking dishes. Bake one for dinner tonight and freeze the other one for a future meal.
Step 5: Bake the pasta
Cover and bake the ziti for 40 minutes, or until a thermometer reads 160°. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes longer, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
Baked Ziti Variations
- Use a different meat: Although baked ziti with ground beef already has plenty of flavor, substitute half or all of the ground beef with ground pork or Italian sausage for even more. For a leaner option, use ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Skip the meat: This recipe tastes just as delicious without the meat. If you want to bulk up the dish without meat, amp up the veggies by stirring in a mixture of chopped sauteed mushrooms, bell peppers, zucchini and onion.
- Change the pasta: Of course, it’s called baked ziti, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use a different pasta shape. Tube shapes are ideal because they hold sauce and meat well. Penne and rigatoni are great alternatives, but cavatappi and even conchiglie (little shells) can work in a pinch.
- Add some herbs: Experiment with different herbs to make your own personal best baked ziti recipe. Add a teaspoon of dried oregano or Italian seasoning to the pasta filling, along with 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley. After pulling the baked ziti from the oven, top the dish with freshly chopped basil.
How to Store Baked Ziti
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or larger portions in a 350° oven until heated through.
How to Freeze Baked Ziti
Baked ziti can be frozen uncooked or cooked, making it a perfect make-ahead freezer meal. Just make sure you know the differences in reheating directions when it comes to how long to bake baked ziti after pulling it from the freezer.
- Freezing uncooked baked ziti: To freeze uncooked baked ziti, follow the recipe through step 4 (just before baking). Wrap the baking dish tightly in a double-layer of foil. Freeze for up to three months. To cook, thaw overnight in the fridge. Once thawed completely, bake, covered at 350° for an hour, then remove the cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the cheese is lightly browned and bubbling.
- Freezing cooked baked ziti: To freeze cooked baked ziti, first allow the ziti to cool completely. Cover tightly with a double-layer of foil and freeze for up to three months. Pre-cooked baked ziti can be reheated from frozen—just pull the ziti out of the freezer while the oven preheats to let the dish warm up before putting it in the hot oven. Then, bake, covered, at 350° for an hour and 15 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.
Easy Baked Ziti Tips
How do you avoid dry baked ziti?
Baked ziti can become dry for several reasons. When assembling the dish, be sure to cover the pasta with enough of the sauce so that the noodles don’t dry out. Also, to prevent moisture from evaporating while cooking, cover the dish tightly with foil.
What can you serve with baked ziti?
Many dishes can go with baked ziti. For a fresh component, serve a green salad. Other vegetable sides that pair nicely with baked pasta dishes include fresh green beans and garlic, Parmesan-roasted broccoli or a roasted pepper salad. Don’t forget a warm loaf of Italian bread or garlic bread to sop up any leftover sauce!
