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Baked Ziti is the ultimate comfort food—creamy, cheesy, and absolutely dreamy! This recipe is a game-changer for weeknight dinners or gatherings. The best part? It’s ridiculously easy to make and comes out looking (and tasting) like a pro cooked it.
My kids are huge fans of pasta and could eat it every day and not complain. I like serving this pasta dish as a full meal with protein, like this crispy baked chicken cutlets, this blackened salmon, or this healthy shrimp scampi. There are so many options too and you can totally get creative like adding some shredded rotisserie chicken in after you add the sauce and mix it in with the pasta before baking again! Yummy!
Why Is Baked Ziti So Popular?
Baked ziti is a go-to for holidays, potlucks, and chilly evenings when you need something warm and hearty. It’s inspired by my Baked Chicken Alfredo recipe and pairs perfectly with a side of Sauteed Green Beans.
Recipe Summary
- Crowd-Pleaser: Perfect for parties, family dinners, or meal prep. Everyone loves a cheesy pasta bake!
- Easy to Make: Minimal prep, and the oven does the heavy lifting.
- Budget-Friendly: Simple ingredients, big flavor.
- Customizable: Add veggies, swap cheeses, or spice it up to suit your taste.
- Freezer-Friendly: Make it now, bake it later—talk about convenience!
Ingredients needed
This baked ziti is easy to make with just a few simple ingredients. Full measurements are listed further down below in the recipe card.
- Ziti Pasta: The star of the show! Its tubular shape soaks up all the sauce and cheese for a dreamy bite every time.
- Ricotta Cheese: Adds a creamy texture and rich flavor to the sauce.
- Cherry Tomatoes: Roasted to perfection, they create a naturally sweet and tangy sauce. You may use grape or vine-ripe tomatoes.
- Onion and garlic: It wouldn’t be ziti without these two flavorful aromatics.
- Seasonings: Some Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper bring out the flavors of the tomatoes and cheese.
- Mozzarella cheese: You may use other cheese options, like Provolone, Havarti, Monterey Jack, Gouda, Cheddar, or Gruyère.
How to make baked ziti
Making this dish is as easy as 1-2-3. Full details are in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Place the tomatoes, onions, garlic, and seasonings in a baking dish.
Step 2: Roast the veggies until they’re soft.
Step 3: Blend the veggies and ricotta until a smooth sauce forms.
Step 4: Pour the sauce over the pasta, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and bake until golden brown.
Tips & Tricks
- Don’t Overcook the Pasta: Cook it al dente since it’ll continue cooking in the oven.
- Blend the Sauce Smooth: For the creamiest finish, blend the roasted tomatoes well.
- Cheese Lovers Unite: Feel free to pile on extra mozzarella for an even cheesier top layer.
- Make it spicy: Feel free to add in some cayenne pepper or chili peppers.
Variations
Want to mix it up? Try these ideas:
- Add Protein: Toss in cooked sausage, ground beef, or shredded chicken.
- Go Veggie: Add spinach, zucchini, or mushrooms for extra nutrients.
- Spice It Up: Sprinkle in red pepper flakes for a kick.
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free ziti pasta.
- Different Cheese: Swap mozzarella for provolone or fontina.
Substitutions
Need to tweak it? No problem!
- Gluten-Free: Sub in gluten-free pasta.
- Dairy-Free: Use vegan ricotta and mozzarella to make this dish vegan-friendly.
- Low Carb: Try zucchini noodles instead of ziti. Not sure how to make zucchini noodles? Check out my post on how to make zucchini noodles.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make Ahead: Assemble the dish, cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking.
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Freeze unbaked ziti for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Penne or rigatoni work great too.
Cover with foil and bake at 350°F until warmed through.
Yes! Use an immersion blender or mash the roasted tomatoes with a fork for a chunkier sauce.
Cottage cheese or cream cheese works well as a substitute, giving the dish a similar creamy texture.
More pasta recipes
If you’re in the mood for more comforting pasta dishes, check out these favorites from Healthy Fitness Meals:
- Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Pasta Puttanesca
- Caprese Pasta Salad
- Creamy Tuscan Pasta
- Turkish Pasta
- Chicken Spinach Pasta
- Creamy Tuna Pasta Salad
You may also like
- Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup
- Onion Boil
- Homemade beef stew
- Chipotle Chicken Al Pastor
- Baked BBQ Chicken Breast
- Sheet Pan Baked Chicken Breast with Veggies
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Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 12 ounces ziti pasta
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 4-6 garlic cloves, pressed
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2/3 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- In a baking dish, toss the 1 medium sweet onion (diced), 4-6 garlic cloves, 3 cups cherry tomatoes, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and seasonings (1 teaspoon sea salt and 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning). You may also add some black pepper at this point if you like.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until tomatoes burst. Remove from the oven and let it slightly cool. Transfer to a food processor together with the 2/3 cup ricotta cheese and blend until smooth.
- While the tomatoes are roasting, cook the 12 ounces ziti pasta in salted water according to package directions.
- To assemble the dish, toss the cooked ziti and ricotta sauce in a baking dish and sprinkle with 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
Notes
- Serving size: about 2 cups or 3 ounces of pasta.
- Pasta: Use any other short pasta of your choice.
- Cheese: There are other varieties of cheeses you can use. Instead of the ricotta cheese, you can use cream cheese. Instead of the shredded mozzarella, you can use provolone, gruyere, cheddar, etc.
- Don’t Overcook the Pasta: Cook it al dente since it’ll continue cooking in the oven.
- Blend the Sauce Smooth: For the creamiest finish, blend the roasted tomatoes well.
- Cheese Lovers Unite: Feel free to pile on extra mozzarella for an even cheesier top layer.
- Make it spicy: Feel free to add in some cayenne pepper or chili peppers.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is super delicious