Name: Classic Baked Ziti
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Ingredients: 1 lb Italian sausage, sweet or hot, casings removed; 1 small yellow onion, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes; 1/2 cup water; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp sugar; 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes; 1 lb ziti; 15 oz whole milk ricotta; 1 large egg; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or pecorino Romano; 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley; 8 oz whole milk mozzarella (about 2 cups total), 5 oz cut into 1/2-inch cubes and 3 oz shredded; 1/3 cup fresh basil, torn (added after baking)

There’s a 9 x 13 pan sitting on my counter right now, and it’s Tuesday. I made the baked ziti on Sunday, same as I do most weeks when I want dinner handled before the week gets away from me.

My kids have grown up knowing that pan. They know what it means when they smell the sauce going on the stove.

Baked ziti is the dish I pull out when I need to feed people without standing over the stove all evening. One pan, one pot of pasta water, and it holds in the fridge for days.

The trick most recipes skip is pulling the pasta two to three minutes before it’s actually done. It finishes in the oven and drinks up the sauce.

Boil it all the way through and it comes out soft.

One more thing: the half cup of cream stirred into the ricotta keeps the layer from going grainy and dry. That’s the detail that changed the dish for me.

Prep: 25 minutes · Cook: 55 minutes · Total: about 1 hour 30 minutes (with resting) · Serves: 8

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How do you make baked ziti so it doesn’t come out watery?

Simmer the sauce uncovered for about 12 minutes before it meets the pasta, so it thickens first. Use whole milk ricotta and whole milk mozzarella, since part-skim versions release more water as they bake. Pull the pasta two to three minutes short of done so it absorbs sauce in the oven rather than releasing starch into it.

What Makes It Work

Undercooking the ziti by 2 to 3 minutes, as both Spend With Pennies and Sip and Feast recommend, keeps the pasta firm enough to absorb sauce in the oven without turning soft.
One egg beaten into the ricotta sets the layer as it bakes at 375°F, so you can cut clean squares instead of scooping a loose, melted mess.
Cubing two thirds of the mozzarella and shredding the rest, a technique from Sip and Feast, gives you both a melted top layer and pockets of molten cheese buried in the pasta.

The first time I skipped the egg in the ricotta, the whole middle layer dissolved into the pasta and I couldn’t tell where the cheese ended and the sauce began. The egg is worth it.

Why You’ll Love This Baked Ziti

Makes a full 9 x 13 pan that feeds eight and reheats perfectly for three or four days
One pot of pasta water, one skillet for the sauce, one baking dish
Assemble it the night before and bake it straight from the fridge
Freezer friendly unbaked, so you can have a second pan ready to go

What Goes Into Baked Ziti

1 lb Italian sausage, sweet or hot, casings removed
1 small yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 lb ziti
15 oz whole milk ricotta
1 large egg
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan or pecorino Romano
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
8 oz whole milk mozzarella (about 2 cups total), 5 oz cut into 1/2-inch cubes and 3 oz shredded
1/3 cup fresh basil, torn (added after baking)

Picking the Right Ingredients

Whole milk ricotta is worth seeking out. Part-skim ricotta holds more water and releases it during the bake, which loosens the finished dish as it sits.

The half cup of heavy cream stirred in keeps the ricotta layer smooth and rich rather than chalky.

For the mozzarella, whole milk matters here too. Buy it in a block and cut it yourself: cube most of it for buried pockets of cheese and shred the rest for the top.

Pre-shredded mozzarella has a coating that slows melting and gives you a drier top layer.

Parmesan and pecorino Romano are not the same in this dish. Pecorino is saltier and sharper, so if you swap it in, taste the ricotta mixture before you add any extra salt.

Either one works, but go in with your eyes open.

Making Baked Ziti, Step by Step

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti for about 7 minutes, or 2 to 3 minutes less than the package directions for al dente. The pasta should still have a firm, chalky center when you bite it. Drain and set aside.
Brown the sausage. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sausage, breaking it into small pieces, until it’s no longer pink and starting to brown at the edges, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain off all but about 1 tbsp of the fat.
Build the sauce. Add the diced onion to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, until it smells fragrant and the pan looks dry.
Simmer the sauce. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and water, then stir in the salt, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a gentle bubble and simmer uncovered for about 12 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and a spoon dragged across the bottom of the pan leaves a clear trail for a second before filling back in.
Mix the ricotta layer. In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, heavy cream, Parmesan, and parsley until smooth and uniform. The mixture should look creamy and hold its shape on a spoon, not run off it.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spread 1 cup of sauce across the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish in an even layer, just enough to coat it completely.
Layer the dish. Spread half the drained pasta over the sauce. Spoon all of the ricotta mixture over the pasta in large dollops, then spread it gently to cover. Add the remaining pasta, then spoon the rest of the sauce evenly over the top.
Add the cheese. Scatter the mozzarella cubes across the top, pressing a few down slightly so they’re half buried, then spread the shredded mozzarella over everything so the surface is covered.
Bake uncovered at 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are bubbling hard and the cheese on top is golden in spots. The center should jiggle only slightly when you nudge the pan.
Rest before cutting. Pull the pan from the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes. Scatter the torn basil over the top. The cheese needs those 10 minutes to set, or the first square will slide apart on the spatula.

Good to Know

Don’t rush the oven by cranking it to 425°F. That higher temperature is for no-ricotta versions where there’s no egg to set. At 375°F, the ricotta layer has time to firm up without the surface drying out before the center is done.
Whole milk dairy in both the ricotta and the mozzarella is my strong preference here. Part-skim versions release more water as they bake, and the dish loosens as it sits.
If you’re using pecorino Romano instead of Parmesan, taste the ricotta mixture before adding any extra salt. Pecorino is noticeably saltier and sharper, and the difference is real.
Assemble the whole pan a day ahead, cover it tightly, and refrigerate unbaked. Add 10 to 15 minutes to the bake time when starting from cold, and check that the edges are bubbling before you pull it.
To freeze, wrap the unbaked assembled pan tightly and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before baking. Don’t bake from frozen, since the top will brown long before the center is hot.
Italian sausage is pork, so the USDA recommends cooking it to 160°F internal temperature. By the time the sausage is browned and broken up in the sauce, it’s well past that point.

How to Store It

Cover the baked pan tightly with foil or transfer leftovers to an airtight container. It keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheats well.

A single portion in the microwave takes about 2 minutes, covered loosely, until the cheese is melted and the edges are steaming. To reheat a larger portion, cover the pan with foil and warm it in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes, until it’s heated through to the center.

For freezing, the unbaked assembled pan is the better option. Freeze it wrapped tight for up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake as directed with the extra time added.

Already-baked leftovers can be frozen too, but the pasta softens a bit more on the second bake.

What Goes With Baked Ziti

A simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette cuts through the richness of the cheese and sauce without competing with it.
Garlic bread or a crusty Italian loaf is the obvious move, and it’s obvious for good reason: you need something to catch the extra sauce on the plate.
Roasted broccoli or green beans on the side adds some color and a little bite without any extra effort on a weeknight.
A glass of red wine, something medium-bodied, pairs well with the sausage and tomato without overwhelming the dish.

What I Use to Make This

A 9 x 13-inch baking dish, ceramic or glass, so you can see the sauce bubbling at the edges without lifting the pan.
A large skillet or straight-sided sauté pan for the sauce, at least 12 inches wide so the sauce has room to reduce without spattering.
A large pot for the pasta, at least 6 quarts, so the ziti has room to move and cooks evenly.
A large mixing bowl for the ricotta layer, wide enough to stir everything together without it spilling over the sides.
A flat spatula or a large serving spoon for cutting and lifting squares cleanly out of the pan.

FAQ

Can I use penne or rigatoni instead of ziti? Yes, both work well. Penne is the most common swap and behaves almost identically. Rigatoni holds more sauce inside the tubes, which gives you slightly more sauce flavor in each bite.

Do I have to use Italian sausage, or can I use ground beef? Ground beef works fine. The dish will be a little milder and less seasoned, so add a pinch more red pepper flakes and a little fennel seed if you want some of that sausage flavor back.

Why does my baked ziti come out dry on top? Either the oven was too hot, or the sauce was spread too thin over the final layer. Make sure the top layer of pasta is fully covered with sauce before you add the cheese, and don’t go above 375°F.

Can I make baked ziti without ricotta? You can, and some versions skip it entirely in favor of a cream-based sauce. This recipe uses ricotta because most readers want that distinct layered look and the creamy texture it brings. If you leave it out, the dish bakes faster and the texture is looser.

How do I know when baked ziti is done? Look for hard bubbling at the edges of the pan and golden spots on the cheese across the top. The center should barely jiggle when you nudge the dish. Time is a guide, but those visual cues tell you more than the clock does.

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