How to Reheat Baked Ziti - Kickass Baker (2024)

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Jan 28, 2023

by Kimberlee Ho

If you are looking for a comforting, delicious, easy casserole dish that will feed a crowd, you will love baked ziti! It is a flavorful and filling meal that's surprisingly easy to make. But most baked ziti recipes make a large portion, so you may find yourself with more than you can eat at once.

Luckily it is very easy to store this baked pasta dish to eat later, and leftover baked ziti can taste even more delicious reheated!

Looking for the the best way to store and reheat baked ziti so that it tastes just as good reheated as it did when you first made it? Keep reading!

Looking to give baked ziti a try for yourself? Try this fan favorite easy meatless baked ziti recipe!

How to Reheat Baked Ziti - Kickass Baker (1)

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What is baked ziti?

Baked ziti is an Italian-American casserole dish made with ziti pasta (or sometimes penne/rigatoni noodles) and a marinara or meat-based sauce.

The pasta is typically layered with a variety of cheeses like ricotta cheese, parmesan, and/or mozzarella, which are seasoned with salt, garlic, and parsley. This casserole-style pasta dish is then baked in the oven to create a cheesy, melty, and filling comfort food!

This dish is reminiscent of lasagna, but doesn't require quite as much prep time, making it a popular meal for weeknights and dinner parties alike!

How to Reheat Baked Ziti - Kickass Baker (2)

How to store baked ziti?

Many baked ziti recipes make a large portion, so you may find yourself with a lot of leftovers. But luckily, baked ziti stores very well and tastes just as delicious reheated as it does the first day you made it!

There are a few simple steps that you will want to take when storing your baked ziti to ensure that it retains its freshness for a long time.

How to store baked ziti in the refrigerator

If you will be finishing your baked ziti within the next couple of days, your best option is to store it in the refrigerator.

If you are storing it in the dish it was baked in, be sure to cover to top tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. You can also transfer it to an airtight container. Baked ziti will last in the fridge for about 4-5 days.

How to store baked ziti in the freezer

Freezing baked ziti is a great way to retain its quality! Be sure that it is stored in a freezer-safe dish, and tightly cover with plastic wrap.

You can also add a layer of aluminum foil over top to be safe and prevent freezer burn. Mark the top with the date it was made and place in the freezer.

You can also freeze baked ziti in smaller portions so that you can defrost a single serving at a time instead of having to use the whole tray.

To do this, cut the baked ziti into portions the size of your preference, wrap them in plastic wrap, and freeze them in freezer-safe ziplock bags, or a plastic container.

Baked ziti will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How to Reheat Baked Ziti - Kickass Baker (3)

Reheating baked ziti

How to reheat frozen baked ziti

Oven

If you chose to store your baked ziti in the freezer, there are a couple of different reheating methods you can choose from. If you froze the entire baking dish of ziti or a large portion, your best bet is to move it to the refrigerator at least 24-48 hours before you plan to heat it.

This will allow the dish to thaw, and minimize the amount of time that you will have to bake it.

If your ziti is in a glass or pyrex dish, remove it from the fridge and leave it on the countertop until the dish has come to room temperature.

Reheating food in glass containers too quickly may result in the pan shattering. Preheat your conventional oven to 350 degrees F, and cover the baked ziti with aluminum foil. This will trap in moisture and ensure that your pasta does not dry out.

Bake in the preheated oven for approximately one hour, or until the sauce is bubbling. This time will depend on how large of a serving you are heating, so keep an eye on it.

If you want the cheese on the top to brown, you may choose to remove the aluminum foil and broil it for a few minutes.

Microwave

If you are reheating a smaller portion of frozen baked ziti, you may choose to use the microwave instead.

It is still best if the portion has been thawed in the refrigerator first. Place the ziti on a microwave-safe dish and cover it with a paper towel to prevent moisture loss.

Heat on medium power for about 5 minutes, then check to see if it is heated through. If it still needs more time, continue heating it in small increments of about 20 seconds until fully warmed.

How to Reheat Baked Ziti - Kickass Baker (4)

How to reheat baked ziti (refrigerated)

Oven

To reheat baked ziti that has been refrigerated, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Again, if it is in a glass dish, be sure that the glass has come to room temperature first to avoid cracking.

Cover the oven-safe dish with aluminum foil and bake for around 35-45 minutes. The amount of time will again depend on the size of the dish, so if it is not heated through after this time continue to bake until done.

You can remove the aluminum foil in the last 5 minutes of baking to brown the top, or quickly broil when it is fully heated.

Microwave

Transfer your refrigerated baked ziti to a microwave-safe dish, and add a little water to prevent it from drying out during heating.

Cover with a damp paper towel or parchment paper and heat on medium power for two minutes before checking to see if it is warmed through. If it needs more time, continue heating in small intervals of around 15-20 seconds until heated thoroughly.

How to Reheat Baked Ziti - Kickass Baker (5)

Pro tips

  • You can also assemble baked ziti ahead of time, and store it in the fridge without baking. Simply remove it from the refrigerator with enough time for the dish to come to room temperature (if using a glass baking dish) and bake.
  • If your baked ziti looks particularly dry when removing it from the fridge or freezer, you can add a little bit of leftover pasta sauce before baking or microwaving. This will add back some moisture to the pasta dish.
  • Frozen or refrigerated baked ziti can also be reheated in the toaster oven. Simply follow the same instructions for the traditional oven. Although, you may need to adjust the timing depending on the strength of your toaster oven.
  • Serve your baked ziti alongside challah rolls, pull-apart potato rolls, or dutch oven bread to make this meal even more impressive!

Homemade baked ziti recipes

1

Easy Meatless Baked Ziti Recipe

This easy meatless baked ziti is the perfect weeknight dinner! It's hearty and filling while being totally meat-free, making it vegetarian-friendly. And it makes a large portion so it's great for leftovers or lunches throughout the week!

Get the Recipe

2

How to Reheat Baked Ziti - Kickass Baker (7)

Baked Ziti with Sausage

This baked ziti dish is made with Italian sausage for extra flavor! Serve this along with a tossed salad and Italian bread and you're all set with a meal that will impress any guest!

Get the Recipe

3

How to Reheat Baked Ziti - Kickass Baker (8)

Vegan Baked Ziti

A baked ziti recipe that is totally friendly! It's made with vegan sausage, tofu ricotta, and vegan cheese for a flavorful and comforting dish that's meat and dairy-free!

Get the Recipe

4

How to Reheat Baked Ziti - Kickass Baker (9)

Classic Baked Ziti

This classic baked ziti is made with a ground beef-based pasta sauce, that is seasoned to perfection! Like many baked ziti recipes, this can be made ahead of time and baked when you're ready!

Get the Recipe

How to Reheat Baked Ziti - Kickass Baker (10)

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How to Reheat Baked Ziti - Kickass Baker (2024)

FAQs

How to Reheat Baked Ziti - Kickass Baker? ›

Oven. To reheat baked ziti that has been refrigerated, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Again, if it is in a glass dish, be sure that the glass has come to room temperature first to avoid cracking. Cover the oven-safe dish with aluminum foil and bake for around 35-45 minutes.

How do you reheat baked ziti without drying it out? ›

Tips for the best result

Add some water to the bottom of the pan before reheating. Sometimes, pasta can lose some of its moisture in storage, especially when in the refrigerator. So adding a little extra water helps those noodles stay nice and tender. Cover the dish when cooking in the oven or microwave.

How do you keep pasta bake from drying out when reheating? ›

You can still achieve delicious reheated pasta. To achieve the perfect taste and texture, dump your pasta into a microwave-safe dish, and add a few drops of water or sauce. This will keep the pasta from sticking together and drying out.

How to keep baked ziti from drying out? ›

The standout step is tossing the pasta with some of the sauce, and then folding in the ricotta and Parmesan cheeses. This prevents the pasta and ricotta from drying out and guarantees bites of pasta, sauce, and cheese in every forkful.

How long to reheat pasta bake in the oven? ›

Place the pasta in an oven-safe shallow bowl with some leftover pasta sauce and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Preheat the oven to 350° and cook the pasta for about 20 minutes, until heated through.

How to keep pasta moist when reheating? ›

2> Microwave: Place the pasta in a microwave-safe dish and add a tablespoon or two of water. Cover the dish with a damp paper towel or microwave-safe lid to trap moisture. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until heated through.

Should you bake ziti covered or uncovered? ›

Should I cover Baked Ziti while it's baking? Yes. Cover loosely with foil so it doesn't stick to the cheese, then bake for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil so the cheese can go bubbly and golden!

Why did my baked ziti come out dry? ›

Four key culprits to a dried out ziti are: there is not enough sauce, the noodles aren't cooked until JUST AL DENTE and overcook while baking, the noodles aren't thoroughly and evenly coated with sauce, or.

Is it safe to eat baked ziti left out overnight? ›

One of the things I learnt to my cost is if you leave pasta out overnight, it is unsafe to eat due to the bacteria that grows within minutes of cooking.

Why does pasta bake say do not reheat? ›

On reheating, you may well not get it high enough or high for long enough to kill any bacteria, and its density makes it even more difficult to remove any built up toxins those potential bad guys may have produced.

How do chefs reheat pasta? ›

Set the microwave to medium heat setting and heat the pasta in 1-minute intervals while stirring after each cycle. 2. Preheat the oven to 350°F and cook the pasta for 20 minutes or until hot enough.

How do you reheat pasta the next day? ›

Just boil water in a large pot as you would if you were cooking pasta for the first time. When the water comes to a boil, toss in the leftover, sauce-free pasta, and let it get hot in the boiling water for less than a minute. Drain and proceed to use the leftover pasta the way you've planned.

What is the best way to reheat pasta without sauce? ›

Lots of pasta dishes reheat great in a hot skillet or pan. But pasta without sauce (or undressed) that needs reheating can be placed in boiling water for 30-40 seconds. Just boil water in a large pot as you would if you were cooking pasta for the first time.

How do you make reheated food less dry? ›

Add moisture

Cover the dish (or wrap the food, like that bread roll) with a damp paper towel or hand towel. You can also add a few tablespoons of water to the dish and cover it with a microwave-safe lid or plastic wrap, or place a second dish on top.

Do you cover ziti when baking? ›

Should I cover Baked Ziti while it's baking? Yes. Cover loosely with foil so it doesn't stick to the cheese, then bake for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil so the cheese can go bubbly and golden!

How to cook pasta ahead of time and reheat? ›

Yes. You can cook the pasta all the way through, then shock it with ice water and let it drain, then put it in boiling water for 30 seconds when you want to reheat it. You can also cook it all the way through, drain it, and add oil to it to keep it soft so it can be reheated without having to boil it again.

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