Baked Ziti
Baked ziti uses the same building blocks as lasagna, a meat sauce, ricotta and mozzarella, but swaps the long sheets of pasta for short tubes tossed straight into the sauce. That makes assembly quick: there are no noodles to lay out, just two layers of sauced ziti with spoonfuls of seasoned ricotta between them and plenty of cheese on top. Boiling the pasta a few minutes short of al dente keeps it from going soft, because it goes on absorbing sauce in the oven.
By Luca Ferraro
Published
- Prep Time
- 15 mins
- Cook Time
- 1 hr 10 mins
- Rest
- 10 mins
- Total Time
- 1 hr 35 mins
- Servings
- 10 servings
How do you make Baked Ziti?
Brown 450 g Italian sausage and 450 g ground beef with onion and garlic to 71°C (160°F), then simmer with crushed tomatoes and passata for 20 minutes. Boil 450 g ziti 2-3 minutes short of al dente and toss with two-thirds of the sauce. Layer with ricotta, the rest of the sauce and 340 g mozzarella. Bake at 190°C (375°F), covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for 15-20 minutes.
- Total time
- 1 hr 35 mins
- Calories
- 640 per serving
- Protein
- 39 g
- Yield
- 10 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Method
- Baking
Ingredients
Meat sauce
Ricotta layer
Pasta and topping
Equipment
23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 in) baking dish · Large deep skillet or Dutch oven · Large pot · Colander · Mixing bowl · Aluminum foil · Instant-read thermometer
Quick Directions
Brown the meat
Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Simmer the sauce
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
Boil the pasta
While the sauce simmers, heat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
Mix the ricotta
In a mixing bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, 50 g parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper until smooth.
Assemble
Pour two-thirds of the meat sauce over the ziti in the pot and stir until every piece is coated.
Bake
Cover the dish with foil, tented so it doesn't touch the cheese, and bake for 20 minutes.
Rest and serve
Let the baked ziti rest for 10 minutes so the sauce settles, then scoop it out with a large spoon or spatula.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these detailed steps to make the perfect baked ziti.
Brown the meat
Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Turn the heat to medium-high, add the sausage and beef and break them up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until browned with no pink remaining and the meat reaches 71°C (160°F). Spoon off any excess fat.
Simmer the sauce
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, passata, oregano, dried basil, pepper flakes, if using, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, partly cover and cook on low for 20 minutes, stirring now and then. Stir in the fresh basil and taste for salt. The sauce should be a little looser than a lasagna sauce, because the pasta soaks some of it up in the oven.
Boil the pasta
While the sauce simmers, heat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Cook the ziti in a large pot of well-salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes less than the package says, so it is still firm in the centre. Drain well and return it to the pot.
Mix the ricotta
In a mixing bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, 50 g parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper until smooth.
Assemble
Pour two-thirds of the meat sauce over the ziti in the pot and stir until every piece is coated. Spread half the sauced ziti in the baking dish. Drop the ricotta mixture over it in spoonfuls and spread it out loosely, then scatter over a third of the mozzarella. Top with the rest of the ziti, spoon over the remaining sauce, and finish with the remaining mozzarella and the 25 g parmesan.
Bake
Cover the dish with foil, tented so it doesn't touch the cheese, and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15-20 minutes more, until the cheese is melted and spotted golden and the sauce bubbles at the edges. The centre should read 74°C (165°F) on an instant-read thermometer.
Rest and serve
Let the baked ziti rest for 10 minutes so the sauce settles, then scoop it out with a large spoon or spatula.
Recipe Tips
- Undercook the pasta. Ziti boiled to al dente before baking turns soft and bloated by the time the cheese browns.
- Keep back a third of the sauce for the top layer. Pasta left uncovered on top dries out and turns hard in the oven.
- For children, use mild Italian sausage and leave out the pepper flakes.
- Use low-moisture mozzarella, sold in blocks or bags of shreds. Fresh mozzarella in brine releases water as it melts and thins the sauce.
Variations
- All beef or all sausage: use 900 g of one meat and cook it to 71°C (160°F). With all beef, add 1/2 tsp fennel seeds to the sauce for a sausage-like flavour.
- Ground turkey: use 900 g ground turkey in place of the sausage and beef and cook it until it reaches 74°C (165°F).
- Jarred sauce: brown the meat, then simmer it with two 650-700 ml jars of marinara for 10 minutes instead of making the tomato sauce.
- Vegetarian: leave out the meat, brown 450 g sliced mushrooms in the oil with the onion, and stir 2 handfuls of baby spinach into the hot sauce.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 640 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 39 g |
| Carbs | 48 g |
| Fat | 32 g |
| Saturated fat | 15 g |
| Fibre | 4 g |
| Sugar | 9.5 g |
| Sodium | 1080 mg |
Estimated from the listed ingredients; values vary by brand.
Related Recipes
Storing & Reheating
- Fridge
- Cover and refrigerate within 2 hours for up to 4 days.
- Freezer
- Freeze baked or unbaked, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil, for up to 3 months, or freeze single portions in airtight containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat
- Reheat covered at 180°C (350°F) for 20-30 minutes for portions, or 45-60 minutes for the whole dish, until hot to 74°C (165°F) in the centre. Single portions can be microwaved covered for 2-3 minutes with a spoonful of water.
Baked Ziti FAQs
What is the difference between baked ziti and lasagna?
They use similar ingredients: a tomato meat sauce, ricotta and mozzarella. Baked ziti uses short tube pasta tossed with the sauce instead of flat noodles laid in layers, so it is quicker to assemble and is served with a spoon rather than cut into neat slices.
Can I use penne instead of ziti?
Yes. Penne, rigatoni or mostaccioli all work in the same weight. Ridged pasta holds the sauce a little better than smooth ziti. Cook any shape 2-3 minutes short of the package time before baking.
Why is my baked ziti dry?
The pasta absorbs sauce as it bakes, so dry baked ziti usually means the pasta was fully cooked first, there was too little sauce, or the top was left uncovered. Undercook the pasta, keep a third of the sauce for the top and bake covered for the first 20 minutes.
Can I make baked ziti ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble it up to 24 hours ahead, cover tightly and refrigerate. Bake it straight from the fridge, adding 10-15 minutes to the covered baking time, until the centre reaches 74°C (165°F).
Can I freeze baked ziti?
Yes. Freeze it baked or unbaked for up to 3 months, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and bake covered at 180°C (350°F) for 45-60 minutes, until the centre reaches 74°C (165°F), then uncover for the last 10 minutes to brown the cheese.
Disclaimer
- Nutrition information is an estimate based on the listed ingredients. It changes with the brands, portion sizes and swaps you use.
- Read ingredient labels for allergens and for diet claims such as gluten-free or vegan. Products and their ingredients can change.
- Cooking times are a guide, since ovens, air fryers and slow cookers all run differently. Use a food thermometer and cook meat, poultry and fish to the safe internal temperatures in government food safety guidance.
- This recipe is general information, not medical or nutrition advice. If you have an allergy, a health condition or a special diet, check with a qualified health professional.
