Cheesy Baked Ziti Delight (Printable)

Comforting baked ziti layered with marinara sauce, creamy ricotta, and gooey mozzarella cheese.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 pound ziti or penne pasta

→ Cheeses

02 - 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
03 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
04 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Sauce

05 - 4 cups marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought)

→ Others

06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs
08 - 1 teaspoon salt
09 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
02 - Boil the ziti in salted water until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
03 - In a bowl, blend ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, basil or Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
04 - Add cooked pasta to the cheese mixture and toss to coat evenly.
05 - Spread 1 cup marinara at the bottom of the baking dish, then layer half the pasta mixture on top.
06 - Pour 1 ½ cups marinara over the pasta layer, then sprinkle half of the remaining mozzarella cheese.
07 - Add the remaining pasta mixture, cover with the remaining marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.
08 - Cover loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.
09 - Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra basil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feeds a crowd without requiring you to hover over the stove the entire time.
  • The texture contrast between tender pasta, creamy ricotta, and melted mozzarella is genuinely addictive.
  • Leftovers actually taste better the next day once all the flavors have settled together.
02 -
  • Do not skip the resting period; it sounds like a chore but keeps your serving spoon from just disappearing into liquid cheese.
  • The pasta needs to be just barely al dente because it keeps cooking in the oven—overcooked pasta baked becomes something closer to mush.
  • Layering matters more than you think; even distribution means every bite actually tastes the same.
03 -
  • Buy whole milk mozzarella instead of part-skim if you can find it; the difference in how it melts is genuinely noticeable.
  • If your dish runs hot, check the cheese at the 8-minute mark of the second bake to avoid over-browning—ovens vary and yours might be faster than you think.
Go Back