Baked Ziti Recipe (2024)

I would not put the garlic in with the onions. Garlic will burn if you cook it 8-10 minutes. Sauté the onion and add the garlic once the onion is done and cook for about two minutes. You will know if you overcook the garlic because it will have a bitter smell and will ruin the sauce.

This is what I would order for my last meal! The perfect pasta dish, far better than any lasagna I have ever had. Really good tomatoes are key--I used my own home grown and home canned. It's lovely what adding cream to ricotta does. Serve this to people you really love.

Add a tiny grating of nutmeg to the ricotta.

Just made this, it’s cooking as I type. Remember to clean out your sauce and ricotta bowls with a couple nice pieces of bread. Wipe the bread on some cheese then wipe some sauce on. Best clean up dish yet!

Has anyone tried this in a slow cooker? I'd like to bring to tailgate, I have access to outlet but no oven to reheat.

What is the point of substituting all the fabulous RICH ingredients with low fat this and low fat that? Just don't make it! I made this ziti last Sunday for our family dinner and we were fighting over who got the bowl passed to them next!!! Truly yummy! No need for egg either, the ricotta does not separate. I made this sauce, and added 1 cup of Giada's Turkey Bolognese sauce and WOW! Thank you for the great, easy recipe. It warmed us up, here in Toronto!

I was disappointed with this recipe. The ricotta separated and the amount of mozzarella was too much. I agree with another commenter that mozzarella only on top would have been better. The sauce was bland and the pasta water is not needed. I’d recommend adding spices to your liking. I wish I’d added basil and more garlic than the recipe called for, but I didn’t follow my instincts.

Short note to say I agree with using half the mozzarella (8 oz), and using a little wine instead of pasta water. Whole milk worked fine instead of cream in a pinch, just enough to make spreadable. I added a tiny amount of parsley to ricotta and pinch oregano to sauce but those definitely optional: simple is better here. As others have noted, use good tomatoes and whole milk ricotta and mozzarella.

I cooked this last night for a crowd and though creamy and cheesy ( I love that) the overall oomph was not there. Next time I will not put the pasta water in and I would add some dried oregano or basil.

Season the ricotta with Italian seasoning and pepper as well. It's the most bland part of the dish and needs help.

Baked ziti is a family favorite at our house, but the kids hate ricotta. So ... after draining the pasta, I mix in 1/4 cup of mascarpone to adhere to the penne. The resulting creaminess in the finished dish is amazing.

I made this tonight and it is amazing! My changes: I added ~1/4 red wine after adding tomato paste (which allowed me to omit the pasta water addition later). I added ground beef when I added the canned tomatoes. A trick I learn in another recipe that I use in all baked pastas is to toss the cooked pasta in 1 egg + ricotta cheese. It coats the pasta keeping the ziti moist but together. I didn't have cream but it wasn't necessary. Delicious recipe! Going back for 2nds now!!

incorporate a bit of sausage, ground meat or pancetta, if you like. Simply add 1/2 pound to the onions while sautéeing and proceed with the recipe.

Cook longer, like 45-50 min. I’ve made twice and the inside has been cool both times even though the cheese was brown & melted and the sauce was boiling. For marinara sauce, use more spices, simmer longer and use quality canned tomatoes. It makes a difference.

Can this be made ahead? If so how?

One 32oz jar of premade sauce is sufficient.

If I wanted to use store bought sauce, how much would I need?

Less liquid! Can reduce additional pasta water and/or heavy cream. Otherwise, great

Love this simple recipe, I added broccoli and zucchini to the sauce for some veg and it turned out pretty good!

I’ve made this many times - it’s great for a crowd - but this time, because I had some leftover sauce in the fridge, I effectively used only about 1.5 cans of sauce, and it came out better than ever. The cheese really shown through.

These ratios make a great base to add your own twist. I used what I had on hand (jarred basil tomato sauce instead of tomato puree, full fat cottage cheese instead of heavy cream, added some diced eggplant + garlic to the onion while sauteeing) and cut the recipe in half (ish), using a 9x9 baking dish. Topped w/ pesto (Gotham Greens is the best store-bought), Calabrian chili paste, and lots of flaky salt. Next time will add fennel seed and oregano to the onions, for added flavor. Delicious!

This reheats perfectly. My family fights over the leftovers.

Read some comments and used a splash of red wine in the sauce and half cup of pasta water. It was dry and overcooked and the ricotta was kind of curdled, not creamy. This recipe over complicates what should be a pretty simple dish.

A family favourite. I use the best quality canned/jarred tomatoes I can find as the dish is reliant on a very tasty tomato sauce.

I misread the recipe and bought regular old mozzarella, not fresh mozzarella. Anybody make this with regular whole milk low moisture mozzarella?

I made this for Superbowl 2024. The texture was great, but it needed something. Maybe I under salted.

I added garlic chicken sausage for protein. Otherwise followed the recipe. This was so good!

For the love of god you can cook garlic at the same time as onion, especially at lower temps. The onion will release enough moisture to keep the garlic from burning. If you let it go too long both of them will burn anyway.

Incredible dish. Made as is. Only change was adding garlic right before tomatoes to avoid burning.

My standard sauce prep deviates from the suggested; I add a solid two or five glugs of red wine to the sauté stage, then let that reduce to a significant, almost syrupy degree before adding the fresh tomatoes. Also add a chunk of parm rind while the sauce reduces. Added cubed prosciutto, basil/parsley to the sauce, and some sautéd zuke to the first layer, toasted breadcrumbs to the top. This is a good lazy Sunday comfort food prep.