Baked Ziti
Tube pasta baked with marinara, ricotta and melted mozzarella into a bubbling, cheesy casserole — an Italian-American potluck and family-dinner favorite.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 480 kcal
Equipment
- •Large pot
- •9x13-inch baking dish
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- fat
- 20
- carbs
- 52
- protein
- 24
- calories
- 480
Instructions
- 1
Boil salted water in a large pot and cook ziti 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain, saving 1 cup pasta water.
- 2
Brown sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it up. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft.
- 3
Stir in crushed tomatoes and marinara sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper.
- 4
Mix ricotta, egg, half the Parmesan, and half the basil in a bowl.
- 5
Toss the drained ziti with about two-thirds of the sauce. Stir in reserved pasta water if needed to loosen.
- 6
Spread half the pasta in a baking dish and spoon on the ricotta mixture. Top with the remaining pasta.
- 7
Pour the remaining sauce over the top. Scatter mozzarella and the remaining Parmesan over the sauce.
- 8
Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25–30 minutes until bubbling and golden. Rest 10 minutes before serving with fresh basil.
Chef's tips
Cook the pasta 2 minutes less than the package says. It finishes cooking in the oven so it will not get mushy.
Storage
Refrigerate covered for up to 4 days; freezes well, unbaked or baked, for up to 3 months.
Reheating
Reheat covered with foil in a 350°F (175°C) oven until warmed through, about 20–25 minutes.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Boiling the pasta too long before baking, which makes the casserole mushy.
- •Using watery ricotta without draining it first, making the layers soggy.
- •Throwing away all the pasta water instead of saving some to loosen the sauce.
Serving suggestions
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