This Baked Ziti is a classic Italian-American comfort food! It’s easy to make, perfect for a weeknight meal or a special occasion. Tender pieces of ziti noodles, delicious meat sauce, three different kinds of cheese, you can’t go wrong!
I’m pretty sure that in another life I must have been Italian because my love for pasta knows no bounds. Pasta literally is my favorite food. And I’m not picky, any kind of pasta will do! Which is where this gorgeous baked ziti comes into play!
Baked ziti is probably the best thing since sliced bread, at least in my humble opinion. It’s like lasagna but without all the fuss. Still the same delicious flavors we all love and adore, but much easier to make, which makes this dish perfect for potlucks, family dinners, or even get-togethers! It’s wonderful food that’s perfect for sharing with your loved ones!
What Is Baked Ziti
Now that I’ve established that this classic is one of my all time favorites, let me tell you a little bit about it. Baked Ziti is a casserole, a very popular American pasta casserole made with ziti and a tomato-based sauce, then layered with different kinds of cheeses such as mozzarella, ricotta or parmesan cheese.
I used all three cheeses in mine, because why not. Sometimes the sauce is meatless and sometimes it has meat such as ground beef. I prefer a nice meaty sauce, but that’s just me.
Ingredients You Need For Baked Ziti
Baked Ziti should be all about that sauce. I like my sauce meaty and loaded with tons of flavor. So here’s what you’ll need to make this classic. As usual, please scroll on down for the complete printable recipe.
- Ziti pasta – this is an extruded pasta, a bit smaller than rigatoni and with smooth sides. If you can’t find it, use rigatoni, or penne, it doesn’t really matter. I couldn’t find it, as you can see, so I used rigatoni instead.
- Olive oil – use your favorite olive oil, we just need a bit to saute the onion in it.
- Ground beef – I used extra lean ground beef which I prefer using since I don’t have to worry about draining any excess fat.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
- Italian seasoning – No Italian dish is complete without some Italian seasoning! Italian seasoning is a blend of dried herbs such as basil, marjoram, rosemary, thyme and oregano.
- Aromatics – Make sure to pick up some fresh garlic and a large white or yellow onion. If using minced garlic keep in mind that 1 1/2 teaspoons equal one fresh clove.
- Broth – Low sodium beef stock or broth will be added for flavor and liquid in our sauce.
- Brown sugar – We want to develop complex flavor and a thick rich sauce as we cook. This adds some crucial sweetness to the meat and the sauce.
- Red Pepper Flakes – for a little kick and totally optional, especially if you cannot handle heat.
- Passata – this is an uncooked tomato puree that has been strained of seeds and skins. This is usually very easy to find with all the other canned tomato products, however you can substitute it with canned crushed tomatoes or tomato puree.
- Cheese – I used ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan, all freshly grated.
- Fresh basil – a little bit goes a long way and I always love to garnish my food with some fresh green herbs.
How To Make Baked Ziti
Cook the pasta: Cook the ziti or pasta of your choice according to package instructions until it’s al dente. The pasta is al dente when it’s cooked but still firm when bitten. Drain the pasta in a colander and set aside.
Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes or until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the meat and cook, breaking it as you go along. Cook it until it’s no longer pink, it should take about 5 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds just until aromatic. Add the Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and brown sugar. Add the passata and beef broth then stir everything together. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
Toss pasta with sauce: Add the pasta to the sauce and toss it well. If using a skillet you might have to toss everything in a bowl.
Assemble the pasta: Spread half of the ziti over the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Top evenly with half the mozzarella cheese, followed by half the Parmesan cheese. Spread the rest of the ziti, then dollop with ricotta over the entire surface of the pasta. Finish with the rest of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
Cover and bake: Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes at 350 F degrees. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese starts to get golden.
Garnish and serve: Garnish with fresh basil and serve.
Tips For Making The Best Baked Ziti
Sauce it up – nobody wants a dry ziti. Make sure you make enough sauce as instructed so that your ziti is nice and saucy.
Grate or shred your own cheese and don’t be skimpy with how much. There are a couple reasons for this. For one, it’s less expensive than buying the shredded kind. The main reason is to avoid unnecessary additives that are added to shredded cheese to keep it from turning into a clump and also mold inhibitors are added. Freshly shredded cheese is best.
Layer your ziti – we want to have lots of cheese everywhere, so take the extra bit of time to layer your ziti as instructed. So worth it. Every bite will have lots of cheese.
Baked ziti is versatile – don’t be afraid to experiment with how you make the sauce or what cheese you use. Try a meatless sauce and use mushrooms instead of beef. Other veggies you can add are leeks and bell peppers. The sky is the limit!
Can I Make Ziti Ahead Of Time?
Absolutely! This baked ziti is a great casserole that can be prepared a couple days in advance. Make it over the weekend and bake it when you’re ready to serve.
Follow the instructions as noted in the recipe up to and including step 6. Cover the casserole with aluminum foil then refrigerate until ready to bake. The day you want to bake this take it out of the fridge while you’re preheating the oven to 350 F degrees. Bake as instructed in the recipe then garnish and serve.
How Do You Store Leftover Baked Ziti?
Transfer leftover baked ziti to airtight containers and refrigerate for 3 to 5 days.
Can I Freeze Baked Ziti?
Yes, absolutely! Freeze in a tightly sealed dish for up to a month. When ready to serve, take it out of the freezer the night before and thaw it in the refrigerator. Bake according to instructions.
More Italian Favorites:
- Easy Bruschetta Recipe
- Chicken Parmesan
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Chicken Cacciatore
- Baked Penne With Italian Sausage
- Beef Ragu
- Aglio E Olio
- Spaghetti Bolognese
- Easy Pasta Alfredo
Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 10 oz ziti pasta or rigatoni or penne
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 lb ground beef extra lean
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper or to taste
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp brown sugar packed
- 24 oz passata or tomato puree or crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup beef broth low sodium
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 4 leaves basil fresh, chopped, optional garnish
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Cook the ziti or pasta of your choice according to package instructions until it's al dente. The pasta is al dente when it's cooked but still firm when bitten. Drain the pasta in a colander and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees.
- Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes or until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the meat and cook, breaking it as you go along. Cook it until it's no longer pink, it should take about 5 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds just until aromatic. Add the Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and brown sugar. Add the passata and beef broth then stir everything together. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
- Toss pasta with sauce: Add the pasta to the sauce and toss it well. If using a skillet you might have to toss everything in a bowl.
- Assemble the pasta: Spread half of the ziti over the bottom of a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Top evenly with half the mozzarella cheese, followed by half the Parmesan cheese. Spread the rest of the ziti, then dollop with ricotta over the entire surface of the pasta. Finish with the rest of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Cover and bake: Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese starts to get golden.
- Garnish and serve: Garnish with fresh basil and serve.
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