Baked ziti is the dinner I choose when I want lasagna energy without arranging noodles or negotiating with a stack of slippery pasta sheets. This version keeps the ingredient list short: marinara, pasta, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, onion, and garlic. The good part is how the ricotta stays in soft pockets instead of disappearing into the sauce. I used to stir it until everything looked uniform. That gave me a perfectly acceptable casserole, but none of those creamy bites that make baked ziti worth baking.
Why the layers stay saucy
Five cups of marinara may look generous for one pound of pasta. It is not. The noodles keep absorbing sauce in the oven, and a dry baked pasta is hard to rescue at the table. Half the sauce coats the drained ziti first. The rest goes over the assembled dish, protecting the top layer while the cheese melts. Cooking the pasta only to al dente matters for the same reason. Fully soft noodles continue cooking in the sauce and lose their shape.
Three cheeses, three different jobs
Whole-milk ricotta adds creamy pockets. Low-moisture mozzarella melts without releasing the puddles that fresh mozzarella can leave behind. Parmesan brings a saltier finish and helps the top brown. Mixing part of the Parmesan with the ricotta seasons those pale pockets from the inside.
The onion needs about 12 minutes to soften before the marinara goes in. Do not hurry it over high heat. Sweet, soft onion blends into the sauce, while browned garlic can make the entire pan bitter. Red pepper flakes are optional, and half a teaspoon adds warmth rather than a strong burn. Use ziti when you can find it, though penne holds the sauce just as well.
Assemble it while everything is warm
Heat the oven to 375°F and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the onion, garlic, and optional red pepper flakes in olive oil over medium heat until soft, about 12 minutes. Add the marinara and one teaspoon of salt, bring it to a simmer, then remove it from the heat.
Cook the pasta until al dente. While it boils, stir the ricotta with a quarter cup of Parmesan and the remaining quarter teaspoon salt. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add about three cups of sauce. Fold in the ricotta mixture gently, leaving visible pockets.
Spread half the pasta in a 9 by 13-inch dish and add one cup of mozzarella. Cover with the remaining pasta, remaining sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes, until the edges bubble and the cheese browns in spots. Let it rest for 15 minutes before serving. That wait keeps the first scoop from running across the plate.
Leftovers keep refrigerated for up to five days. You can assemble the dish two days ahead, or freeze it for up to two months using the supplied make-ahead directions.
The recipe also divides neatly between two 8-inch square dishes. Bake one and freeze the other for a future dinner. If baking a refrigerated casserole, keep it covered for the first 15 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 30 minutes. From frozen, the supplied directions call for one hour covered and 15 minutes uncovered. Check that the center is hot before serving. A spoon is often better than a knife for portioning because it catches the ricotta pockets and sauce at the bottom.
Baked Ziti
Description
An uncomplicated baked ziti with plenty of marinara and three cheeses for a practical family dinner.
Ingredients:
Instructions
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Heat oven to 375°F.
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Soften onion, garlic, and pepper flakes in oil for about 12 minutes.
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Add marinara and 1 tsp salt; simmer.
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Cook pasta al dente.
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Mix ricotta with 1/4 cup Parmesan and remaining salt.
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Coat pasta with half the sauce and fold in ricotta loosely.
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Layer half the pasta, 1 cup mozzarella, remaining pasta, sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan in a 9 by 13-inch dish.
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Bake uncovered 30 minutes and rest 15 minutes..
Note
Refrigerate leftovers up to 5 days. Assemble up to 2 days ahead. Freeze up to 2 months.