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.
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.