Cheesy Baked Ziti Dish (Printable version)

Hearty baked ziti layered with rich marinara, creamy ricotta, and melted mozzarella cheese.

# What you need:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 pound ziti or penne pasta

→ Cheeses

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

→ Sauce

05 - 4 cups marinara sauce

→ Other

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

# Steps to follow:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
02 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until just al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, stir together ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, basil or Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper until evenly blended.
04 - Add cooked pasta to the cheese mixture and toss to coat thoroughly.
05 - Spread 1 cup marinara sauce over bottom of baking dish. Evenly layer half of the pasta mixture atop the sauce.
06 - Pour 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce over pasta layer and sprinkle with half of remaining mozzarella cheese.
07 - Add remaining pasta mixture, then cover with remaining marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.
08 - Cover loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
09 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden.
10 - Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra basil if desired.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen when you really just assembled layers like building blocks.
  • The leftovers are somehow even better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep or unexpected guests.
  • Kids and adults genuinely fight over the corners where the cheese gets crispy and caramelized.
02 -
  • Don't cook the pasta all the way through; it continues cooking in the oven and will be mushy if you start with fully cooked pasta.
  • That 10-minute rest at the end is not optional—it makes the difference between soupy and perfectly portioned.
  • If your dish seems dry during assembly, add a splash more sauce; it's easier to adjust now than to fix it baked.
03 -
  • Use a mix of cheeses—ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan each bring something different, and that balance is what makes it memorable.
  • If you overbake it even slightly, the edges dry out; watch for cheese that bubbles actively but hasn't started browning too dark.
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