Easy Baked Ziti Recipe

Who doesn't love a good pasta recipe, especially one that's as classic as a baked ziti? This satisfying, timeless and easy baked ziti recipe is made with the simplest ingredients, no frills, and can be prepped ahead of time and heated before serving. I don't think it gets any better than that.

Pasta is perfect for any season, any time of day, and day of the week!

This pasta dish pairs perfectly with a cocktail like my citrus spritz or a dessert like my kitchen sink skillet cookie, or simply as a meal prep! No matter how you serve or pair this, I can guarantee utter satisfaction!

What are the ingredients for this baked pasta recipe?

• Pasta - I like using a rigatoni, ziti, or penne. Feel free to swap for gluten free if you need
• Ricotta Cheese - whole milk ricotta is the way to go!
• Marinara Sauce - I prefer Rao's, Primal Kitchen, or a simple tomato sauce from Cento, Delallo, or Tuttorosso
• Mozzarella - of course we need mozzarella here, it's the most universally used cheese in baked ziti aside from ricotta. I like to use whole milk mozzarella when it comes to baked pasta.
• Dried Basil + Dried Oregano - while these herbs are not necessary, I find it gives added flavor to the overall dish.

See the recipe card below for more details and specific quantities.

How do I make this baked ziti?

Start by preheating the oven to 350º and taking out an oven-safe baking dish. Bring a large stock pot of water to boil. Once the water boils, add salt and stir in your pasta of choice. Cook the pasta 2 minutes less than the directions suggests, drain and set aside.

Take an oven-safe baking dish and pour a few drops of marinara at the bottom. Pour in the pasta and mix the pasta in with the marinara. Add more marinara, spices, salt, pepper, and a few dollops of the ricotta cheese. Stir with a wooden spoon, making sure to coat all of the pasta. Pour in a little more sauce and ricotta as desired.

Top the pasta with a layer of mozzarella cheese and bake for 20 minutes. Once the pasta is finished baking, turn the oven to broil and broil for 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and the pasta is slightly crispy on the sides.

HINT: Broil, or bake on top rack to get that cheese nice and browned, crispy, and bubbly.

Pasta Swaps and Substitutions

I would be remiss if I didn't offer you some substitution and swap options for this recipe, so that you can fully enjoy it, regardless of any dietary needs.

• Pasta - instead of using durum or regular flour penne, you can easily use gluten free penne, rigatoni, or ziti.
• Cheese - swap the regular mozzarella for dairy-free.
• Ricotta - you can find dairy-free versions of ricotta cheese in some stores.

Ways to vary this pasta recipe

One of the benefits of making a pasta recipe is that there are a bunch of ways to vary how you serve and make this dish. Here's a few ideas:

• Spicy - add chili pepper flakes to the pasta as you mix in the ricotta and marinara.
• Veggies - add some spinach, broccoli, or peas if you want to make this a veggie-friendly recipe.
• Meat - you can add in some ground beef or ground turkey to this dish for some added protein.

How do I store this recipe? Can I freeze it?

To Store: Add any remaining baked pasta to an airtight container and place in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. You could also store the entire dish in the casserole dish you baked it in, and reheat when you want to make more of it.

To Freeze: Wrap the baked ziti in plastic wrap in the casserole dish it baked in and freeze. Thaw in the fridge and bake at 350º until the cheese gets melty and bubbly.