Baked ziti is classic Italian-American comfort food! Bake ziti noodles with sausage, tomato sauce, and all sorts of gooey, yummy cheeses. This easy baked ziti recipe is always a hit!
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Do you like lasagna but not the fuss? Make baked ziti instead!
It’s perfect for a weeknight or weekend meal, or as a hot dish for a potluck. Make extra and freeze for later.
Video: how to make baked ziti
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Baked ziti
Ingredients in Baked Ziti
This recipe is a fairly basic version, but everyone who makes baked ziti has their own unique tricks and twists. Some vary the cheese, some the meat, some make meatless versions, and some people omit the tomato sauce for a truly cheesy casserole.
This version uses mass-produced Italian sausage as well as an important fresh herb. In summer that would be basil. Rosemary in winter. You can also use savory, sage, thyme or parsley.
Substitutions for Ziti
Ziti is a fairly common pasta shape in most areas, but you can substitute penne pasta if you can’t find it. You want a hefty short pasta shape with room for the sauce and meat.
What is ziti noodles?
Ziti is a hollow pasta shaped like a smooth tube, resembling a short straw. It originated in Campagna, Italy, or maybe Sicily, Italy. Its name means bride or groom, although stories as to why Italians gave this pasta the name for those who marry may vary. In some parts of Italy it is served at weddings.
Tomato Sauce for Baked Ziti
There’s a link to a pasta sauce recipe in the ingredients, but you can use any sauce in the jar in this recipe – pasta, marinara, even pizza sauce. Just make sure it’s a sauce you like.
How to store, reheat and freeze ziti
You can assemble this ahead of time and either refrigerate or freeze before doing the final baking. If you freeze it, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before baking. You can also freeze a baked ziti and reheat it thawed or frozen.
- Cooling and then baking a composite uncooked ziti: Cover the assembled ziti with foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. To bake, remove the foil and bake at 350°F until the top is lightly browned and the cheese is melted. Expect to add at least 15 minutes more baking time than if you baked it right after assembly.
- Frozen and then baked composite unbaked ziti: To bake frozen unbaked ziti, it is best to thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. Take out of the fridge 30 minutes before baking. Remove any plastic wrap. Bake uncovered at 350F until lightly browned and bubbly, 60 to 70 minutes. Cover with foil if the top turns brown before the inside is fully heated.
- Freeze and reheat a baked ziti: Bake covered with foil at 350°F. (Make sure you remove the plastic wrap first.) Reheat thawed or frozen; The time depends on the pan itself and how frozen the lasagna is. Expect it to take at least 35 to 45 minutes, but check if it hits 165°F in the middle.
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Beloved sides for baked ziti
- garlic bread
- Make ahead dinner rolls
- Caesar salad
- French green beans with butter and herbs
- Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan
From the editors of Simply Recipes
Baked ziti
If you don’t have an Italian seasoning in the pantry, use 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil, and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme.
ingredients
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1 lb Ziti or penne pasta
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Kosher salt
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1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
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1 lb Italian mass sausage, ground beef or ground pork
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1 big onion, chopped
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3 to 4 cloves chopped garlic
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1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or basil
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1 tablespoon Italian spice
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1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
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4 cups Marinara or pasta sauce in a jar, or make your own tomato sauce
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Black pepper, to taste
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8th ounces Mozzarella cheese, grated
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1 Cup grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
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1 heaped cup Ricotta cheese
method
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Preheat the oven:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
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Cook pasta:
Heat a large pot of salted water (1 tablespoon of salt for every gallon of water) to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, uncovered, over a bubbling boil until the pasta is al dente – edible but still a little bit firm.
Drain noodles through a sieve. Drizzle with a little olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking together while making the sauce.
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sear meat:
Begin the sauce while the water is heating in the previous step. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is simmering hot, add the loose sausage or ground beef. Break up any large pieces of sausage during cooking. Tan well.
Don’t stir as often or the meat will be harder to brown. If you use ground beef or pork instead of sausage, sprinkle some salt on top.
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Make the sauce:
When the meat is mostly browned, add the onions and mix well. Sauté until onions are translucent and beginning to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Add garlic, rosemary or basil, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute, then add the tomato sauce and stir well. Bring to a boil.
Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper if needed.
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Assemble casserole:
Spread a thin layer of the sauce on the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish, then spread half the ricotta cheese over the top. Scoop a spoonful of sauce into the noodles, stir well, then add the noodles to the casserole.
Pour the rest of the sauce over the pasta, spread the remaining ricotta cheese over the pasta and sprinkle both the mozzarella and parmesan on top.
At this point you can cool, cover and refrigerate, or freeze to move forward.
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Bake:
Bake uncovered in the oven at 350°F until the top is lightly browned and the cheese is melted, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 557 | calories |
| 32g | Fat |
| 36g | carbohydrates |
| 30g | protein |
