Baked Ziti
From our kitchen · October 23, 2026
I like a dinner that can be finished before anyone asks when we're eating. Baked ziti gives me a fighting chance. Once the pasta is mixed with sauce and tucked into its dish, I can put away the chopping board and pretend I have been organized all afternoon.
The browned cheese around the edges disappears first. I like the pockets of ricotta in the middle. Everyone serves from whichever end is closest, which is how I occasionally find myself standing at the table explaining the geography of a casserole.
I use jarred marinara here, with a can of crushed tomatoes to give the pasta plenty to absorb. Cook the noodles a little less than you normally would; they still have time to spend in the oven. And don't worry about spreading the ricotta perfectly. Little spoonfuls make some of the best bites.
This makes a generous pan. If you're feeding fewer people, divide it between two smaller dishes and bake one for dinner. There's something reassuring about opening the refrigerator the next day and finding lunch already made.
- Serves
- 8
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 55 min
Ingredients
1 pound dry ziti or penne
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce
1 can (15 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 container (15 ounces) ricotta
2½ cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella, divided
½ cup grated Parmesan
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus salt for pasta water
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Directions
- 1
Heat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- 2
Cook pasta in salted boiling water 2 minutes less than its package's al dente time. Drain.
- 3
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown beef and onion 8–10 minutes, breaking up the beef, until it reaches 160°F; drain excess fat. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Add marinara, tomatoes, and oregano. Simmer 5 minutes.
- 4
Mix ricotta with ½ cup mozzarella, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
- 5
Toss pasta with two-thirds of the sauce. Spread half in the dish, add spoonfuls of ricotta mixture, then add remaining pasta and sauce. Scatter remaining 2 cups mozzarella on top.
- 6
Cover loosely with foil and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 10–15 minutes, until bubbling through the center. Rest 10 minutes before serving.
One family tip
Spoon a little sauce into the corners before baking so the exposed pasta doesn't dry out.
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