Easy Baked Ziti
Pasta, marinara, ricotta and plenty of mozzarella baked until bubbling. Assemble it ahead and bake when you walk in the door.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 1 lb ziti pasta, or penne
- 1 jar marinara sauce, 24 oz
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped, optional
Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Cook the ziti 2 minutes short of the package time — it finishes in the oven — and drain.
- 2
Stir the ricotta, egg, half the Parmesan and the Italian seasoning together.
- 3
Toss the pasta with the marinara and 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella. Spread half in a 9x13-inch baking dish, dot with the ricotta mixture, and top with the remaining pasta.
- 4
Cover with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake uncovered 25 to 30 minutes until bubbling and golden.
- 5
Rest 10 minutes before serving and scatter with basil.
Tip: Assemble up to 2 days ahead, cover and refrigerate; add 10 minutes to the bake time straight from the fridge.