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    Home » Pasta

    Baked Ziti

    Published: Oct 25, 2022 · by Nico

    Jump to Recipe

    Our baked ziti is a mouthwatering and ultra-tasty comfort food, it's easy to make, and you can even make it with plant-based meats.

    Baked pasta is perfect as a special meal for a Sunday, it's great for kids and adults alike, and it's a handy meal-prep-idea as you can keep the leftovers for days.

    Baked ziti pasta and melted cheese
    On this page:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Serving suggestions
    • Storage
    • More pasta recipes
    • More Sunday dinner recipes
    • Recipe

    Check out our best pasta recipe collection!

    Baked ziti is a baked pasta cooked in a casserole dish inspired by the Italian "pasta al forno" and similar to an Italian Lasagna.

    It's a staple in American-Italian cooking across the USA, and it's a tasty, meaty, cheesy recipe that most people love.

    There are three main components to a great baked ziti recipe:

    • 1) Pasta: ideally, it should be a good-quality (Italian imported if you can) short tubular pasta such as ziti, penne, or rigatoni.
    • 2) Sauce: a simple tomato sauce often enriched with Italian sausage and ground meat, veggies, or other types of meat (yes, you can use plant-based meats).
    • 3) Cheese: mozzarella, ricotta, and parmesan cheese (you can use dairy-free or lactose-free cheese).

    If there's one thing you should take away from reading this baked ziti recipe is to "undercook the pasta by at least 3 minutes" so that when you bake it, it won't turn into a mash.

    Baked pasta and silver spoon

    Ingredients

    Ingredients for ziti pasta bake

    Pasta

    You can make this easy baked ziti recipe with ziti pasta or with most other types of short pasta, like rigatoni, penne, fusilli, rotini, etc.

    Long-shaped pasta noodles like spaghetti are not suitable for this recipe.

    You'll need 1 gallon (about 4 liters) of water and 2 tablespoons (about 30 grams) of salt, to cook 1 pound (about 500 grams) of pasta.

    Tip: remember to undercook the pasta by at least 3 minutes.

    Plant-based meat

    Traditional baked ziti has a mix of Italian sausage and ground beef (and sometimes ground turkey or pork).

    However, if you are trying to reduce your meat consumption like us, you'll be happy to know that you can easily substitute plant-based sausage and plant-based ground beef for animal-based ones.

    We made this recipe with plant-based meat, and the cooking process is the same as if you were to use real meat.

    Of course, they won't taste the same, but the baked ziti is still delicious and an excellent alternative if you want to try it.

    Onion and Garlic

    To add flavor to the meat and the overall dish.

    Cheese

    Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, and ricotta cheese are the holy trinity of Italian cheese in baked ziti.

    You can substitute their dairy-free alternatives if you want to make the recipe vegan.

    Marinara sauce

    Pick your favorite marinara at the grocery store, or make our quick and easy marinara sauce with olive oil, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, whole peeled tomatoes, salt, black pepper, dried oregano, and basil. Homemade sauce is unbeatable.

    Herbs

    Fresh basil is the best fresh herb for baked ziti because it's a perfect flavor match with the tomato sauce and the cheeses.

    You can substitute chopped parsley for the basil.

    Optionally, you can add a sprinkle of Italian seasoning to the tomato sauce to make it tastier. Of course, this depends on how well-seasoned your marinara sauce is.

    Salt and pepper

    We recommend sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. If you like a spicy baked ziti recipe, you can add a pinch of red pepper flakes.

    Baked ziti portion sizes

    Instructions

    Step 1: The Sauce

    Warm up a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat.

    Add the (plant-based) sausage and the ground plant meat to the pan, break lumps up with a fork, and brown for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.

    plant-based meat in a skillet

    Add chopped onion, grated garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to the meat mixture and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

    adding spices to the sauce

    Now, pour in the marinara sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn the heat off, stir in the basil, then taste and adjust for salt.

    Important: set aside 3 cups of sauce in a bowl, and keep the remaining sauce in the skillet! You'll need 1 cup of sauce for the bottom of the baking dish and 2 cups on top of the pasta.

    Marinara sauce and basil

    Step 2: Cook the pasta

    Boil 1 pound of pasta in a large pot of salted water.

    Cooking time should be as instructed on the package minus 3 minutes. Set a timer.

    Note: If the package says 10 minutes, cook the pasta for 7. That's because we want the pasta much harder than "al dente" since we finish cooking it in the oven.

    Tip: you'll need 1 gallon of boiling water with 2 tablespoons of salt to cook 1 pound of pasta to perfection.

    making ziti pasta

    Reserve one cup of pasta water, drain the pasta, and toss it in the sauce until thoroughly coated (off the heat).

    ziti pasta in tomato sauce

    Step 3: Build the dish

    Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C. Cover the bottom of the baking dish or casserole with 1 cup of reserved tomato sauce. Then add 6 dollops of ricotta cheese (about ½ cup of ricotta).

    Sauce and ricotta cheese

    Add in the pasta and arrange it evenly across the baking dish. Drizzle with 4 tablespoons of reserved pasta water.

    Tip: the pasta water will ensure your baked ziti won't dry up in the oven.

    Baked ziti in a pan

    Cover with the reserved 2 cups of tomato sauce, then with the remaining ricotta, grated parmesan, and shredded mozzarella cheese.

    Pasta bake before baking

    Bake at 350°F or 180°C for 20 minutes, or until the cheese melts and browns.

    Baked ziti with cheese

    Let sit out of the oven for 10 minutes before portioning it and serving it.

    Baked ziti with basil leaves

    Serving suggestions

    This hearty pasta bake pairs well with vegetable side dishes and a fresh salad. Take your pick from this list of green sides:

    • Raw and fresh zucchini salad
    • Roasted broccoli with garlic and lemon marinade
    • Rainbow roasted vegetables
    • Baked asparagus: perfectly tender and crisp
    • Steamed artichokes with lemon and fresh herbs
    • Easy side salad ready in 5 minutes, a perfect palate cleanser!
    • Steamed Artichokes
    • Zucchini Salad
    • Roasted Vegetables
    • Baked Asparagus

    Storage

    Refrigerator: once cooked, store leftovers in the fridge still in the casserole, covered with foil, for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave.

    Freezer: assemble the dish, let it cool down, and freeze it before baking. It keeps in the freezer for three months. Then thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 350°F or 180°C.

    More pasta recipes

    If you like creamy pasta recipes, take a look at our other pasta ideas that are perfect for lunch and dinner:

    • Tofu meatballs in marinara sauce: serve with spaghetti for a restaurant-worthy meal
    • Spaghetti aglio e olio: an Italian classic ready in 15 minutes!
    • Tomato and basil pasta: easy-peasy pasta with a rich tomato sauce and fresh basil
    • Easy mushroom pasta with cherry tomatoes - a weeknight dinner ready in 30 minutes
    • Chickpea pasta salad: meal-prep-friendly and a colorful lunch idea
    • Pasta e Ceci: a family-friendly and tomato-rich pasta with chickpeas
    • Broccoli pasta: with mashed and creamy broccoli sauce - ready in 20 minutes
    • Roasted red pepper pasta with a quick almond pesto is an easy dinner for busy weekdays
    • Butternut squash pasta: this cheesy bake-and-mix pasta recipe is ready in about 30 minutes!
    • Tofu Meatballs with Marinara Sauce
    • Broccoli Pasta
    • Vegan Mushroom Pasta
    • Spaghetti Pomodoro
    • Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
    • Chickpea Pasta Salad
    • Garlic and Oil Pasta (Spaghetti Aglio e Olio)
    • Butternut Squash Pasta

    More Sunday dinner recipes

    If you love comfort food and Sunday dinner recipes, take inspiration from these rich and creamy favorites:

    • Eggplant Parmigiana with roasted and tender eggplant slices and real Italian flavor
    • Gnocchi with tomato sauce and just 3 ingredients!
    • Lentil curry: ready in 30 minutes, a curry that you can easily make at home
    • Braised tofu with stir-fried vegetables and Asian-inspired flavors
    • Pumpkin pasta bake: a fall and winter favorite with pumpkin sauce and roasted pumpkin cubes
    • Eggplant Parmigiana
    • Gnocchi
    • Lentil Curry
    • Kung Pao Tofu

    For many more pasta ideas, check out our pasta category page.

    Recipe

    Baked ziti pasta and fresh basil

    Baked Ziti

    Author: Nico
    Our baked ziti is a mouthwatering cheesy, and meaty comfort food. It's easy to prepare, and you can even make it with plant-based meats.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
    4.55 from 11 votes
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 40 mins
    Marinara Sauce 20 mins
    Total Time 1 hr
    Course First Course
    Cuisine American Italian
    Servings 6 - 8 people
    Calories 793 kcal

    Equipment

    • Baking dish or casserole dish (8 x 11 inches | 21 x 29 cm) or (9 x 13 inches | 23 x 33 cm)

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 36 ounces marinara sauce (4½ cups)
    • 1 pound ziti cook pasta in 1 gallon of water and 2 tablespoons of salt
    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • ½ pound Italian sausage or vegan sausage
    • ½ pound ground beef or vegan ground meat
    • 1 white onion
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning or 1 teaspoon dried oregano + 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • 1 teaspoon salt or more to taste
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 10 leaves basil
    • 1 cup ricotta or vegan ricotta
    • 1 cup parmesan or vegan parmesan (grated)
    • 1½ cup mozzarella or vegan cheese (shredded)

    Instructions
     

    MAKE THE SAUCE

    • Warm up a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat.
      Add the sausage and the ground meat to the pan, break lumps up with a fork, and brown for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
      plant-based meat in a skillet
    • Add in chopped onion, grated garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper, and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
      adding spices to the sauce
    • Pour in the marinara sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn the heat off, stir in the basil, then taste and adjust for salt.
      Important: set aside 3 cups of sauce and keep the remaining sauce in the skillet! You'll need 1 cup of sauce for the bottom of the baking dish and 2 cups on top of the pasta.
      Marinara sauce and basil

    COOK THE PASTA

    • Cook 1 pound of pasta in 1 gallon of boiling water with 2 tablespoons of salt.
      Cooking time should be as instructed on the package minus 3 minutes.
      Note: If the package says 10 minutes, cook the pasta for 7. That's because we want the pasta much harder than "al dente" since we finish cooking it in the oven.
      making ziti pasta
    • Reserve one cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta, and toss it in the sauce until thoroughly coated (off the heat).
      ziti pasta in tomato sauce

    BUILD THE DISH

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C.
      Cover the bottom of the baking dish with 1 cup of reserved tomato sauce.
      Then add 6 dollops of ricotta cheese (about ½ cup of ricotta).
      Sauce and ricotta cheese
    • Add in the pasta and arrange it evenly across the baking dish.
      Drizzle with 4 tablespoons of reserved pasta water.
      Baked ziti in a pan
    • Cover with the reserved 2 cups of tomato sauce, then with the remaining ricotta, grated parmesan, and shredded mozzarella cheese.
      Pasta bake before baking
    • Bake at 350°F or 180°C for 20 minutes, or until the cheese melts and browns.
      Let sit out of the oven for 10 minutes before serving it.
      Baked ziti with cheese

    Notes

    Nutrition information is for one large portion of bakes ziti out of 6, with real meat and real cheese.

    Nutritional Values

    Nutrition Facts
    Baked Ziti
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 793 Calories from Fat 351
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 39g60%
    Saturated Fat 18g113%
    Trans Fat 0.5g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
    Monounsaturated Fat 15g
    Cholesterol 110mg37%
    Potassium 969mg28%
    Carbohydrates 69g23%
    Dietary Fiber 5g21%
    Sugar 9g10%
    Protein 41g82%
    Vitamin A 1319IU26%
    Vitamin B6 1mg50%
    Vitamin C 13mg16%
    Vitamin E 3mg20%
    Vitamin K 16µg15%
    Calcium 492mg49%
    Folate 45µg11%
    Iron 5mg28%
    Manganese 1mg50%
    Magnesium 98mg25%
    Zinc 5mg33%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you like this recipe?We are not much on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Leave us a comment below instead, it would mean the world to us 🙂

    If you liked this recipe, you might also like:

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Saff

      March 22, 2021 at 7:01 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! Thank you as always Nico 🙂

      Reply
      • Nico

        March 23, 2021 at 11:06 am

        Glad you liked it Saff! Thanks for the comment 🙂

        Reply
      • Noah Flohr

        June 22, 2021 at 7:53 pm

        3 stars
        Hey there,

        I just discovered your blog and I am absolutely in love with it.
        Unfortunately this was the first recipe I had my difficulties with :/

        1. I chose farfalle instead of fussili and I hope this was not the big mistake.
        2. I needed 50% more tomatoes to cover all the noddles while cooking them.
        3. I needed 35 minutes for cooking the noodles in the tomato sauce, eventhough it was on high heat.
        4. I was quite confused as the pepper in the bechamel sauce wasn't mentioned in the text. Furthermore there was a cup of water mentioned in the text in the part of the tomato sauce, without being mentioned in the ingredients.
        5. My cheese needed 25 minutes to became as dark as your's on the picture.

        I hope I could help. The creaminess of the sauce was outstanding.

        Liebe Grüße

        Noah ^_^

        Reply

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