This Baked Ziti is an easy, saucy, cheesy pasta casserole with all of the great flavors of Lasagna, but so much easier to prepare. Watch the video tutorial below and see how simple it is to make this pasta bake that captures the essence of Italian-American flavors in every bite.
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We love classic Italian recipes, and I’ve got some simple to make, but oh, so tasty ones to share! From Chicken Parmesan to Meatballs, and Manicotti too, if you are a fan of saucy, cheesy pasta, this Baked Ziti is a must-try!
Easy Baked Ziti Recipe
Baked ziti is an Italian-American casserole of tubular-shaped ziti noodles with Marinara Sauce, ricotta, and loads of gooey, melty cheese. Think of this Baked Ziti as a lazy lasagna- it has all of the familiar flavors of Lasagna, without the fuss of layering the noodles.
The combination of mozzarella and parmesan, a match made in pasta heaven, is our secret to making the BEST Baked Ziti! I love that this pasta casserole is make-ahead friendly, so customizable, and freezer-friendly too. No need to be precise or fancy with this dish. You can’t go wrong with pasta and cheese.
Baked Ziti Video
Watch Natasha make this easy Baked Ziti Pasta casserole. Get ready to dive into the comfort of saucy pasta and melted cheeses. You are going to love this one.
Why this Recipe Works
- Easy – This recipe is nothing fancy – the ingredients are mixed together, and it’s not supposed to look perfect, but it sure tastes perfect.
- Make-Ahead Friendly – This recipe can be prepared up to two days before baking. Not only does it freeze and reheat beautifully, but it also makes a wonderful meal for a potluck or a meal train dinner for a friend in need.
- Picky-eater Approved – Baked Ziti recipes are customizable to your taste or dietary needs. See our suggestions below on how to make this dish your own.
Ingredients
The ingredients here are simple, so use the best quality you can source. If you have 10 minutes, try Homemade Marinara Sauce which is our secret to making the BEST Baked Ziti!
- Ziti Pasta – cooked al dente – keep in mind it finishes cooking in the oven.
- Ground Beef – I like to use 85% lean
- Onion and Garlic – aromatics that add tons of flavor and aroma
- Marinara Sauce – Homemade or store-bought
- Ricotta – One 15-ounce container of fresh ricotta cheese
- Basil Leaves – Ten fresh leaves, cut into thin strips
- Mozzarella Cheese – We use low moisture, part-skim
- Parmesan Cheese – One cup, freshly grated or shredded and divided
Variations
- Meat – Try chicken or ground turkey instead of beef; add Italian sausage or meatballs; or omit the meat altogether to make a vegetarian casserole.
- Vegetables – Adding veggies is a great way to bulk up this recipe and turn this pasta casserole into a meal in itself. Dice and sauteé zucchini, summer squash, mushrooms, and/or carrots and add them to your sauce mixture. Sprinkle chopped spinach or layer sliced and sauteed bell peppers between the layers of pasta. You can use one or all of these to make the best Vegetarian Baked Ziti.
- Pasta – You can use any tubular pasta, ridges or no ridges, it’s up to you. Ziti is an obvious choice, but you can also use penne, rigatoni, cavatappi, or rotini. For a gluten-free pasta casserole, try a GF pasta.
- Cheese – In addition to the ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, you can top your baked pasta dish with fresh grated parmesan, or sliced fresh mozzarella.
How to Make Baked Ziti
This is the easiest pasta casserole and the results are so perfecto. It’s no wonder Baked Ziti is such a popular dish.
- Boil – Set your oven to 350°F. While the oven preheats, boil a large pot of salted water and cook one pound of ziti pasta until al dente, then drain.
- Sauteé – In a large sauté pan or Dutch Oven, sauté ground beef and onion until cooked through. Add minced garlic, salt, and pepper and continue cooking until the garlic is fragrant.
- Combine – Pour Marinara Sauce into the meat and simmer for 5 minutes. Spread 1/2 cup of sauce into a 9×13 inch casserole dish to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom.
- Stir – Spoon the ricotta cheese and basil into the pot of sauce and gently stir until lightly combined. Stir in the cooked pasta, mixing just until the pasta is coated.
- Assemble – Add half the pasta mixture to the casserole dish, top with half of the mozzarella and parmesan cheese, and then repeat with another layer of pasta and finally, more cheese.
- Bake – Bake uncovered at 350°F for 25 minutes and then broil for an additional 2 minutes to brown the top. Garnish with fresh basil and another sprinkle of parmesan cheese for good measure. We love to use this Cheese Grater.
Pro Tip:
Don’t overcook your pasta. You want to cook the pasta al dente (slightly firm) as it will continue to cook in the oven while baking.
Can I use spaghetti instead of ziti?
Baked Ziti is really best with a tube-shaped pasta, to really hold onto that meat sauce. If you are looking for a spaghetti casserole, try our Chicken Tetrazzini recipe, it’s fantastic!
How can I make a healthy baked ziti?
Choose leaner meat (such as ground turkey), add low-fat cheeses (and reduce how much you use), and add extra vegetables to boost nutritional content are all easy ways to make this recipe healthier.
Can I double the recipe?
This is a great dish to feed crowds for a potluck or party. If you need to double the recipe, please use a second casserole dish or a large disposable aluminum pan.
How to Serve Pasta Casseroles
Be sure to let your Baked Ziti sit for 5 minutes after it comes out of the oven. After that, use a spatula to cut it into squares, or simply scoop it out of the dish with a spoon. Serve this classic dish with:
- Garlic Bread – an obvious choice
- Roasted Cauliflower – simple and delicious
- Caesar Salad – light and crisp with the best dressing
- Garden Salad – a go-to since it’s kid-friendly
- Panzanella Salad – adds more Italian flavors to your meal
Make-Ahead
Baked ziti can be assembled ahead or baked ahead and reheated. It’s perfect for meal planning.
- Prep-Ahead: Assemble, cover with foil, and refrigerate for up to two days before baking.
- Storing Leftovers: Store leftover portions in airtight storage containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheating Leftovers: Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before heating. Drizzle with a little water to keep it moist, cover with foil, and put in the oven at 350˚F for 20-30 minutes or until heated through. Timing will vary by the amount of ziti. You can also reheat in the microwave.
- Freezing: Assemble in an aluminum or oven-safe casserole dish without baking. Cool completely and then tightly wrap it in plastic wrap and aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw frozen ziti in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking as directed.
“Mangia, mangia!” (an Italian phrase which means ‘Eat, eat!’)
More Casserole Recipes
We love casseroles for dinner because they can be made ahead and re-heat well so you get to enjoy leftovers for days. These are the top-rated, best-loved casserole recipes on our blog:
- Chicken Pot Pie Casserole
- Chicken Lasagna
- Lasagna Roll-Up
- Eggplant Parmesan
- Chicken and Mushroom Casserole
- Baked Mac and Cheese
Baked Ziti (Easy Pasta Casserole) VIDEO
Ingredients
- 1 lb ziti pasta, or penne pasta or gluten-free pasta
- 1 lb ground beef, 85% lean
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 5 cups marinara sauce
- 15 oz fresh ricotta
- 10 fresh basil leaves
- 12 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted water according to package instructions until just al dente, then drain (do not overcook as the pasta will continue to cook in the oven).
- In a deep pan or Dutch oven, over medium-high heat, cook ground beef and onion, breaking up the beef with a spatula, until beef is fully cooked through and onions are softened (5-7 minutes). Add minced garlic, salt, pepper, and sauteé for another minute. Add 5 cups marinara sauce, bring to a simmer, and continue cooking for 5 minutes then turn off the heat.
- Spread a ladle of meat sauce into the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish.
- Add chopped basil and spoon in ricotta into the remaining sauce Add cooked pasta and stir just until noodles are coated (you want to keep that ricotta texture)
- Transfer half of the pasta to the casserole dish. Top with 1/2 of the shredded mozzarella and 1/2 of the grated parmesan. Add the remaining pasta and top with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
- Clear the edges of the pan so the cheese doesn’t burn onto the dish. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Broil for 1-2 minutes to brown the cheese. Let cool for 5 minutes, then garnish with basil if desired and serve.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Can this be frozen after baking?
This was delicious and I used your marinara sauce
Glad that you love it, Wanda. Yes, you can frreeze this. You may check the tips that I provided in this section “Can I Make this Pasta Casserole Ahead?”
It was so good! I had 3/4 pound of ground beef and added 2 sweet Italian sausage links. The recipe feeds 10 people so I shared some with my parents, and they loved it too! I want to make this recipe again!!
So glad to hear that, Debra! Thank you for the feedback.
Hi! I was looking for a party recipe and this looks like it will work for me. I was wondering if I could make this the day before and bake the next day. My concern is will the pasta become dry….maybe I should add a little extra sauce? Also, I probably should increase the baking time some because it will be cold.
Hi Steph! Yes, you can. See my notes above for “make-ahead” instructions.
where is your “make ahead” instructions for baked ziti? I would like to make a day before my party. Thank you
It’s in the blog post, above the recipe card titled, “Can I Make this Pasta Casserole Ahead?”
I love love love ALL YOUR DISHES!!!
I added fresh parsley and basil to the ricotta. I also used buffalo mozzarella, it’s what was in my fridge to be used .
I also added Parmesan to the ricotta. It was delicious
Sounds wonderful, Jennifer! Thank you for the feedback.
Natasha, excellent recipe! made it last night and it was a winner!
I’m so glad to hear that, Karen!
I made this tonight and it was wonderful! I used the marinara link to make the sauce and my husband said it was the best sauce I’ve ever made. I thought I had mozzarella cheese but I didn’t so I used cheddar, but it came out amazing! Thank you so much for sharing so many delicious recipes. Your recipes have become my go to!
Hi Gretchen! Thank you for trying my marinara sauce recipe. I’m so glad you are enjoying my blog. Thank you for the wonderful feedback on this Ziti! 🙂
I just realized my mozzarella cheese was pizza cheese!!!! Ugh
Made this and my whole family loved it!! I used cottage cheese instead of ricotta (it’s what I had) and it was delicious! Making it again tonight .. gonna add some spinach and see how it goes.
Thank you for sharing, Tori! That’s great.
Hi! This recipe was so good. Made some for my small family but there is just way too much leftover. Would it be okay freezing after it’s been baked?
Thank you!
Great to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, Jenny. Thank you for your awesome review and yes, this is freezer friendly.
Hi Natasha. Just want to say your recipes are awesome. My family doesn’t care for ricotta cheese, can I use cottage cheese instead?
Hi Melissa! I’m so glad you and your family are loving the recipes.
It won’t be quite the same, but cottage cheese should be fine to use.
I’ve made this several times beforr with Kielbasa, but tonight I used Ground Bison, and my hubby and I both thought it was even better! The kids love it and are happy when there are leftovers so they can take it to school the next day and don’t have to prepare their lunches:) This dish comes together rather quickly and is so very tasty. Thank you for all of your amazing recipes!
Thats great, Alisha! I’m so glad you loved the recipe. Thank you for sharing your experience.
It’s me again!! Should of added that my family does not like cream cheese either!! Again, can I just use the Mozzareel cheese? Thanks again.
Marie Griggs
Hi Marie, I have not experimented on that but feel free to give that a try. It might work!
My family does not like ricotta or cottage cheese. Can I make this with just the mozzarella cheese? Thanks
Marie Griggs
Hi Marie! You can if you’d like, it won’t be quite the same but I’m sure it will still be delicious.
If I could give this recipe 6 stars, would because almost every one in my house enjoyed this. I felt really awesome making it, cause it seemed hard and complicated, but it wasn’t! Thank you, Natasha! You’ve blessed us all!! 💜
That’s wonderful, Gigi! I’m so glad you loved it.
I rate Natasha’s Kitchen recipes with 5 or more stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ because she has never disappointed me!
Awe, thank you, Donna. That is very sweet. 🙂
Made this for dinner tonight – oh my – SOOO good!!! Looking forward to taking leftovers to work for lunch tomorrow 🙂
I’m so glad you loved it! Thanks for sharing.
I made this recipe for the first time last night. My family absolutely loved it. We ate the leftover casserole this evening. Thank you, Natasha!
That’s wonderful, Fran! I’m so glad it was a hit. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Natasha! Would it work to substitute a block of cream cheese instead of the ricotta cheese?
Hi Nadia! Cottage cheese may work also. I haven’t tested it but one of our readers made this with cream cheese to substitute for ricotta.
This was so good, even my very picky son enjoyed it and came back for more. I didn’t have beef but I did have some leftover ground turkey that I used. I also didn’t have penne or ziti but jumbo fusilli pasta. It all turned out perfectly and I broiled it at the end as suggested. Delicious!
That’s wonderful! I’m so glad it was a hit!
Well Natasha I’ve been making this for the last 35years exactly like yours my wife used to invite all her friends for this while I was sent packing to the cinema while they enjoyed the dinner.
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, John!