Baked Ziti Italian Pasta (Printable)

Italian pasta layers with rich tomato sauce, ricotta, and melted mozzarella baked to perfection.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 lb ziti or penne pasta

→ Sauce

02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
06 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
07 - 1 tsp dried oregano
08 - 1 tsp dried basil
09 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
10 - 1 tsp sugar
11 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Cheese Mixture

12 - 15 oz ricotta cheese
13 - 1 large egg
14 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
15 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tbsp dried)

→ Assembly

16 - 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
17 - Additional grated Parmesan cheese, for topping

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
02 - Boil the pasta in salted water until just al dente, about 2 minutes less than package instructions, then drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, sauté the onion until softened, about 4 minutes, then add garlic and cook for 1 additional minute.
04 - Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes if using, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until thickened.
05 - Combine ricotta, egg, grated Parmesan, parsley, and season with salt and pepper in a bowl; mix well.
06 - Toss the drained pasta with half of the tomato sauce in a large bowl.
07 - Spread half of the pasta mixture in the baking dish, dollop and gently spread half the cheese mixture over it, then sprinkle with half the mozzarella cheese.
08 - Add remaining pasta mixture, cheese mixture, and mozzarella. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the top and finish with extra grated Parmesan.
09 - Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until golden and bubbly.
10 - Allow the dish to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like a warm hug, the kind of dish that makes everyone sit down together without asking.
  • You can assemble it hours ahead and slide it in the oven when youre ready, no last-minute panic.
  • Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day, cold from the fridge or reheated until the cheese gets stretchy again.
  • Its flexible enough to sneak in vegetables or swap cheeses based on whatever you have on hand.
02 -
  • Undercook the pasta or it will turn to mush in the oven, trust me on this one.
  • Let the baked ziti rest before cutting into it, otherwise the cheese and sauce will run everywhere and your first slice will look like a disaster.
  • If you skip the egg in the ricotta mixture, the cheese layer can turn soupy and watery instead of creamy and cohesive.
03 -
  • Use a mix of whole milk ricotta and part-skim mozzarella for the best balance of creaminess and melt.
  • Add a splash of pasta water to the sauce if it looks too thick, it loosens everything and helps the sauce cling to the noodles.
  • For extra crispy edges, use a slightly larger baking dish so the pasta spreads thinner and more surface area gets golden.
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