Cheesy Baked Ziti (Printable Version)

Layered pasta with ricotta, mozzarella, and marinara, baked to bubbly golden perfection.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 pound ziti or penne pasta

→ Cheeses

02 - 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
03 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
04 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Sauce

05 - 4 cups marinara sauce

→ Other

06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs
08 - 1 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# Method Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
02 - Boil pasta in salted water until al dente, approximately 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, blend ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, basil or herbs, salt, and pepper until smooth.
04 - Add cooked pasta to cheese mixture and stir until evenly coated.
05 - Spread 1 cup marinara sauce on dish bottom. Layer half the pasta mixture evenly over sauce.
06 - Pour 1 1/2 cups marinara over pasta, then sprinkle half the remaining mozzarella on top.
07 - Add remaining pasta mixture, top with remaining marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.
08 - Cover loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
09 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until cheese is browned and bubbly.
10 - Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with basil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means you can have real dinner on the table without the stress.
  • Everyone eats it—kids, picky eaters, people who claim they don't like ricotta suddenly asking for seconds.
  • You can assemble it hours ahead and bake it when you're ready, making it the ultimate weeknight rescue plan.
02 -
  • Undercook your pasta slightly or you'll end up with mush; it keeps cooking in the oven and that's not a myth.
  • The foil-covered baking works because it lets the pasta and cheese heat through gently without the top burning before the inside is hot.
  • Don't skip the resting time at the end, or you'll have sauce running all over your plate and no structure to your scoops.
03 -
  • If you have a slightly wetter sauce or you're using fresh ricotta, drain it for a few minutes first so your final dish isn't soupy.
  • The difference between good and great is getting that cheese layer on top genuinely golden and bubbly, which means keeping an eye on it during those final 10 minutes.
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