Classic Baked Ziti Recipe
Baked ziti recipe with a meaty tomato sauce, ricotta tossed through every noodle, and cubes of mozzarella that melt into pockets. Ready in 90 minutes.
This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy.
Baked ziti is the pan I bring when someone has a new baby or a rough week. This baked ziti recipe skips the layering entirely. The ricotta gets tossed straight through the pasta and sauce instead of sitting in a stripe down the middle. So every single tube is coated, and cubes of mozzarella scattered through the pan melt into gooey pockets you hit at random. Meaty tomato sauce, browned cheese on top, one 9×13 pan.
Cooking the ziti 2 to 3 minutes shy of al dente is the step people skip and then wonder why the pasta went soft. Those tubes keep absorbing sauce and steam for the entire 35 minutes in the oven, so pasta that’s perfectly done in the pot is mushy by the time it hits the table. Pull it while it still has a firm bite in the center and it finishes cooking in the pan.
Buy mozzarella in a block for this rather than a bag, and cut two-thirds of it into cubes. Cubes hold their shape long enough in the oven to leave actual molten pockets in the finished pan, while shredded cheese melts flat and just disappears into the sauce. The last third goes on top shredded, where it browns.
Why You’ll Love This Baked Ziti Recipe
- Ricotta in every bite. Tossing it through the pasta instead of layering it means no dry corners and no ricotta stripe nobody wants.
- Molten mozzarella pockets. Cubed mozzarella scattered through the pan gives you gooey pulls all the way to the bottom.
- Feeds eight, easily. One 9×13 pan covers a big family dinner or a potluck with leftovers.
- Built to freeze. Assemble it, freeze it unbaked, and you’ve got a full dinner waiting for a bad week.
Baked Ziti Ingredients
Whole milk ricotta is worth it here. Part-skim ricotta carries more water, and that water has nowhere to go once the pan is in the oven, so it thins out the sauce and leaves the ziti looser than it should be. Draining even whole milk ricotta in a sieve for 15 minutes helps if yours looks wet.
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef (85/15)
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 lb ziti pasta
- 15 oz whole milk ricotta
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup grated pecorino romano, divided
- 12 oz low-moisture mozzarella (8 oz cut into 1/2-inch cubes, 4 oz shredded)
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
Recipe Variations
- Swap the ground beef for 1 pound of Italian sausage with the casings removed, or use half of each for a sauce with more fennel and spice.
- Leave the meat out entirely and stir 2 cups of sauteed mushrooms and zucchini into the sauce for a vegetarian pan.
- Use rigatoni or penne if your store is out of ziti; any short tube with ridges holds this sauce just as well.
How to Make Baked Ziti
- Brown the beef: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the ground beef and cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking it up as it browns, until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F. Drain off the excess grease.
- Build the sauce: Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute until the paste darkens. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, the pepper, and the red pepper flakes if using. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
- Undercook the pasta: While the sauce simmers, boil the ziti in well-salted water for 2-3 minutes less than the package says for al dente. It should still be noticeably firm in the center. Drain and return it to the empty pot.
- Mix the ricotta: Heat the oven to 375°F. In a bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, 1/4 cup of the pecorino, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt until smooth.
- Toss everything together: Add about three-quarters of the sauce and all of the ricotta mixture to the drained pasta and stir until every tube is coated and the ricotta has streaked through. Fold in the cubed mozzarella.
- Assemble the pan: Spread a thin layer of the remaining sauce across the bottom of a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Add the pasta mixture and spread it level, then spoon the last of the sauce over the top and scatter on the shredded mozzarella and remaining 1/4 cup pecorino.
- Bake covered, then uncovered: Cover tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake another 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and browned in spots.
- Rest and serve: Let the pan rest for 10 minutes so it sets up enough to cut clean squares, then scatter the fresh basil over the top.
Recipe FAQs
Can I Make Baked Ziti Ahead of Time?
Yes. Assemble the whole pan, cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Bake it straight from the fridge, adding about 15 minutes to the covered baking time.
Why Is My Baked Ziti Dry?
Almost always not enough sauce for the amount of pasta. A pound of pasta needs roughly 6 cups of sauce once it’s baking, since the noodles keep drinking it in the oven. If yours looks tight before it goes in, stir in a half cup of water or broth.
Do I Need the Egg in the Ricotta?
It helps. The egg sets the ricotta just enough that it stays put in creamy streaks instead of running loose and watery once the pan heats through.
Can I Use Jarred Sauce?
Yes, use about two 24-ounce jars and skip straight to browning the beef and stirring them together. Simmer for 10 minutes so the flavors come together before it meets the pasta.
What’s the Difference Between Baked Ziti and Lasagna?
Lasagna is built in flat layers with wide noodles and gets sliced into portions. Baked ziti is tossed, so the sauce, ricotta, and cheese are distributed through every bite instead of stacked. Ziti is also considerably faster to put together.
Cooking Tips
- Salt the pasta water like you mean it, about a tablespoon per 4 quarts. It’s the only chance the noodles themselves get to be seasoned.
- Cut the mozzarella into cubes yourself from a block. Bagged shreds are coated in starch and melt into the sauce instead of staying as distinct gooey pockets.
- Let it rest the full 10 minutes before serving. Cut it straight out of the oven and the whole pan slides apart on the plate.
Storage and Freezing
To store: Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days.
To freeze: This is one of the best pans in the freezer. Assemble it unbaked in a foil pan, wrap well, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake as directed with an extra 10-15 minutes covered.
To reheat: Cover a portion with foil and warm in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes, or microwave individual servings in 90-second bursts with a splash of water to keep the pasta from drying out.
How to Serve Baked Ziti
Baked Ziti wants garlic bread and something sharp and green on the side, like a salad with a vinegary dressing to cut through all that cheese. Roasted broccoli or green beans work too. If you’re feeding a crowd and want a second pan, our Cheese Stuffed Shells covers the no-meat eaters at the same table.
Loved This Recipe?
Baked Ziti is the pan I’ve never once had leftovers of, and I’ve made it in every size 9×13 comes in.
Leave a star rating in the comments below, it helps other people find this recipe. Made it? Tag @allwellfed on Instagram, I love seeing this one in other people’s kitchens.
Classic Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef 85/15
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp salt divided
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes optional
- 1 lb ziti pasta
- 15 oz whole milk ricotta
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup grated pecorino romano divided
- 12 oz low-moisture mozzarella 8 oz cut into 1/2-inch cubes, 4 oz shredded
- 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- Brown the beef: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the ground beef and cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking it up as it browns, until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F. Drain off the excess grease.
- Build the sauce: Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute until the paste darkens. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, the pepper, and the red pepper flakes if using. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
- Undercook the pasta: While the sauce simmers, boil the ziti in well-salted water for 2-3 minutes less than the package says for al dente. It should still be noticeably firm in the center. Drain and return it to the empty pot.
- Mix the ricotta: Heat the oven to 375°F. In a bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, 1/4 cup of the pecorino, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt until smooth.
- Toss everything together: Add about three-quarters of the sauce and all of the ricotta mixture to the drained pasta and stir until every tube is coated and the ricotta has streaked through. Fold in the cubed mozzarella.
- Assemble the pan: Spread a thin layer of the remaining sauce across the bottom of a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Add the pasta mixture and spread it level, then spoon the last of the sauce over the top and scatter on the shredded mozzarella and remaining 1/4 cup pecorino.
- Bake covered, then uncovered: Cover tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake another 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and browned in spots.
- Rest and serve: Let the pan rest for 10 minutes so it sets up enough to cut clean squares, then scatter the fresh basil over the top.
