Baked Ziti Italian-American (Printable)

Comforting Italian-American pasta dish with rich tomato sauce, creamy cheese layers, and golden melted mozzarella.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 for topping

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
02 - Boil the pasta in salted water until just al dente, approximately 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion until soft, about 4 minutes, then add minced garlic and cook for 1 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 sauce thickens.
05 - Combine ricotta, egg, grated Parmesan, and parsley in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, mixing until well blended.
06 - Toss the drained pasta with half of the prepared tomato sauce in a large bowl.
07 - Spread half of the pasta mixture evenly in the baking dish. Dollop and gently spread half of the cheese mixture over the pasta, then sprinkle with half the shredded mozzarella.
08 - Layer the remaining pasta, followed by the remaining cheese mixture and mozzarella. Pour the remaining tomato sauce evenly over the top, then finish with extra grated Parmesan.
09 - Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
10 - Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until golden and bubbling. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's the kind of dish you can assemble ahead and bake later, which means less stress when people arrive.
  • Everyone asks for seconds, and you'll have leftovers that somehow taste even better the next day.
  • The layers create pockets of creamy, saucy, melty goodness that make every forkful different.
02 -
  • Undercooking the pasta matters more than you'd think—it prevents a mushy, overcooked final dish that falls apart.
  • Don't skip the resting time at the end, even though it's hard to wait; it makes the difference between a casserole and a properly set baked ziti.
  • Tasting and seasoning the sauce before assembly is when you catch any flavor gaps and fix them without overthinking.
03 -
  • Make it the morning of and refrigerate unbaked; it actually bakes more evenly straight from cold and takes only slightly longer.
  • If you love a crispy top, uncover it for the last 5 minutes after the foil comes off to deepen the browning and create those golden edges.
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