Classic Baked Ziti

This Classic Baked Ziti takes simple ingredients—ziti pasta, a rich meat sauce, and layers of ricotta and melted cheeses—and transforms them into a comforting, crowd-pleasing casserole. It’s ideal for family dinners, potlucks, or meal prep, and it reheats beautifully.

Why You’ll Love This

• All in one dish: Pasta, sauce, and cheese bake together—minimal fuss.
• Flexible and forgiving: Swap meats, add veggies, or make ahead.
• Cheesy comfort: Multiple types of cheese make it extra rich and indulgent.
• Feeds many: A 9×13 pan is perfect for 8 hungry eaters or leftovers.

Prep & Cooking Info

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Servings: 8
• Course: Main Course
• Cuisine: Italian / Italian-American
• Method: Bake

Ingredients

Pasta & Sauce

• 1 lb ziti pasta
• 1 lb ground beef (or ground sausage)
• 28 oz marinara sauce
• 2 cups canned diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• Salt & pepper to taste

Cheese Toppings

• 4 oz fresh mozzarella (sliced or torn)
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Ricotta Cheese Mixture

• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely minced
• 1 tsp fresh basil, minced
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1 egg
• Salt & pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Make meat sauce: Brown ground beef in a large pot. Season with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir in marinara sauce and diced tomatoes. Simmer covered for 15 minutes, then taste and adjust seasoning. Reserve 2 cups of sauce aside.
3. Cook pasta: Meanwhile, boil the ziti in salted water until just shy of al dente. Drain.
4. Prepare ricotta mixture: In a bowl, mix ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, parsley, basil, and garlic. Season to taste.
5. Assemble (first layer): In a 9×13 baking dish, layer half the pasta mixed with half the meat sauce. Dot with half the ricotta mixture and fresh mozzarella slices.
6. Top layers: Pour the reserved 2 cups of meat sauce over. Add the remaining pasta and remaining ricotta mixture.
7. Finish topping: Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and Parmesan on top.
8. Bake covered: Cover with aluminum foil (sprayed with nonstick spray) and bake 20 minutes.
9. Uncover & broil: Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes. Then broil 1–2 minutes until cheese is golden.
10. Garnish & serve: Let rest briefly, then garnish with basil or parsley before serving.

Tips, Storage & FAQs

• Undercook pasta slightly: Cook 1–2 minutes less than al dente so it doesn’t become mushy in the bake.
• Make-ahead: You can assemble the dish hours ahead and refrigerate until ready to bake.
• Vegetable add-ins: Stir in spinach, mushrooms, or diced carrots into the ricotta or sauce.
• Wine variation: Add ½ cup red wine to the meat sauce for depth.
• Cover foil trick: Spray the underside of foil with nonstick cooking spray to prevent cheese from sticking.
• Leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in oven or microwave.

Final Thoughts

This Classic Baked Ziti combines beloved Italian flavors into a satisfying, cheesy casserole that always hits the spot. It’s crowd-friendly, adaptable, and easy to love. Whether for dinner, entertaining, or leftovers, it delivers comfort in every bite.

📖 Recipe

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Classic Baked Ziti

This Classic Baked Ziti features al dente pasta layered with a savory meat sauce, ricotta cheese blend, and melted mozzarella and Parmesan. A comforting, crowd-pleasing casserole ready in about 70 minutes.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword Classic Baked Ziti

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 7

Ingredients

Pasta & Sauce

• 1 lb ziti pasta
• 1 lb ground beef or ground sausage
• 28 oz marinara sauce
• 2 cups canned diced tomatoes undrained
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• Salt & pepper to taste

Cheese Toppings

• 4 oz fresh mozzarella sliced or torn
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Ricotta Cheese Mixture

• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley finely minced
• 1 tsp fresh basil minced
• 1 garlic clove grated
• 1 egg
• Salt & pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Make meat sauce: Brown ground beef in a large pot. Season with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir in marinara sauce and diced tomatoes. Simmer covered for 15 minutes, then taste and adjust seasoning. Reserve 2 cups of sauce aside.
• Cook pasta: Meanwhile, boil the ziti in salted water until just shy of al dente. Drain.
• Prepare ricotta mixture: In a bowl, mix ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, parsley, basil, and garlic. Season to taste.
• Assemble (first layer): In a 9×13 baking dish, layer half the pasta mixed with half the meat sauce. Dot with half the ricotta mixture and fresh mozzarella slices.
• Top layers: Pour the reserved 2 cups of meat sauce over. Add the remaining pasta and remaining ricotta mixture.
• Finish topping: Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and Parmesan on top.
• Bake covered: Cover with aluminum foil (sprayed with nonstick spray) and bake 20 minutes.
• Uncover & broil: Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes. Then broil 1–2 minutes until cheese is golden.
• Garnish & serve: Let rest briefly, then garnish with basil or parsley before serving.

Notes

Undercook pasta slightly: Cook 1–2 minutes less than al dente so it doesn’t become mushy in the bake.

Make-ahead: You can assemble the dish hours ahead and refrigerate until ready to bake.

Vegetable add-ins: Stir in spinach, mushrooms, or diced carrots into the ricotta or sauce.

Wine variation: Add ½ cup red wine to the meat sauce for depth.

Cover foil trick: Spray the underside of foil with nonstick cooking spray to prevent cheese from sticking.

Leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in oven or microwave.