Baked Ziti Cups Cheese (Printable Version)

Individual ziti cups layered with tomato, ricotta, and mozzarella make an easy, handheld comfort dish.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 8 oz ziti or rigatoni pasta

→ Sauce

02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
05 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Cheese Mixture

08 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1 large egg
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (optional)
12 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Assembly

13 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
14 - Nonstick cooking spray

# Method Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
02 - Boil the ziti in salted water until just al dente. Drain and allow to cool slightly.
03 - Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté garlic for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add crushed tomatoes, Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
04 - In a medium bowl, mix ricotta, Parmesan, egg, fresh basil if using, and salt until smooth.
05 - In a large bowl, toss drained pasta with half of the tomato sauce and half of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
06 - Divide half of the pasta mixture evenly into the muffin cups. Spoon a portion of the ricotta mixture over each, then layer remaining pasta on top. Spoon remaining tomato sauce over each cup and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.
07 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before carefully loosening each cup with a knife and removing.
08 - Serve warm, garnished with additional fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everyone gets their own crispy edges and cheesy top
  • Easy to grab, eat, and share without fighting over the corner piece
  • Freezes beautifully so you can stash extras for lazy nights
02 -
  • Do not overcook the pasta in the boiling water since it will continue cooking in the oven, and mushy pasta ruins the texture.
  • Let the cups cool in the muffin tin for at least 5 minutes or they will fall apart when you try to remove them.
  • Fill each cup generously but not overflowing, or the cheese will spill over and create a mess that sticks to your pan.
03 -
  • Use room temperature ricotta so it mixes smoothly without lumps or grainy bits
  • Shred your own mozzarella instead of buying pre-shredded cheese for better melting
  • Place the muffin tin on a baking sheet to catch any cheese overflow and save your oven from smoking
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