Here’s a classic baked ziti recipe—creamy, cheesy, and perfect as a hearty meal:
🍝 Classic Baked Ziti
Ingredients (serves 4–6)
- 400 g ziti pasta (or penne)
- 2 cups marinara or tomato pasta sauce
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp dried oregano or Italian herbs
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Optional: cooked ground beef, sausage, or vegetables (bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach)
🔥 Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Cook pasta
- Boil ziti in salted water until just al dente (it will cook more in the oven).
- Drain and drizzle with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Prepare sauce
- In a pan, heat olive oil and sauté garlic 1–2 minutes.
- Add marinara sauce, herbs, salt, and pepper.
- Optional: add cooked meat or vegetables. Simmer 5 minutes.
- Mix cheeses
- In a bowl, combine ricotta and half of the mozzarella.
- Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Assemble casserole
- In a baking dish, layer half the pasta.
- Spoon half the ricotta mixture over it.
- Pour half the sauce.
- Repeat layers with remaining pasta, ricotta, and sauce.
- Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Bake
- Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake 10–15 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.
- Serve
- Let it rest 5 minutes before serving.
- Optional garnish: fresh basil or parsley.
🌟 Tips
- Use part-skim mozzarella for a lighter version.
- Add a pinch of red chili flakes for a spicy kick.
- Make ahead: assemble the night before and bake fresh before dinner.
If you want, I can give you a quick 20-minute version of baked ziti that’s still cheesy and delicious. It’s perfect if you’re short on time.
Do you want me to do that?
