Cheesy Baked Ziti (Print Version)

Comforting pasta layered with marinara, ricotta, and mozzarella baked to bubbly perfection.

# What to Use:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 pound ziti or penne pasta

→ Cheeses

02 - 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
03 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
04 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Sauce

05 - 4 cups marinara sauce

→ Other

06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs
08 - 1 teaspoon salt
09 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the ziti until just al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, stir together ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, basil or Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper until well blended.
04 - Add the cooked pasta to the cheese mixture and toss to coat all pieces evenly.
05 - Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Layer half of the pasta mixture evenly over the sauce.
06 - Pour 1 ½ cups marinara over the pasta layer. Sprinkle half of the remaining mozzarella on top.
07 - Add the remaining pasta mixture, then cover with the remaining marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.
08 - Cover loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until cheese is bubbling and golden.
09 - Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving; garnish with extra basil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means you can go from hungry to eating without overthinking it.
  • The three-cheese combination creates this perfect balance where ricotta stays creamy, mozzarella gets gloriously bubbly, and Parmesan adds just enough salt and sharpness.
  • Baked ziti is one of those dishes that tastes even better the next day, making it ideal for meal prep or feeding a crowd.
02 -
  • The pasta must be al dente, not soft, because it will continue cooking in the oven while surrounded by hot sauce and cheese.
  • Don't mix the egg into the ricotta and expect it to cook properly—make sure it's fully incorporated into the cheese mixture so it binds everything without creating pockets of raw egg.
  • Covering with foil for the first half of baking prevents the mozzarella from browning too quickly and keeps the top from drying out while the center finishes cooking.
03 -
  • Mix the ricotta mixture the night before and refrigerate it—cold ricotta actually incorporates more evenly into the pasta than room temperature.
  • If your sauce is on the thin side, let it simmer for 10 minutes to concentrate the flavor and reduce excess liquid that would make the bake watery.
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