Baked Ziti Mozzarella Dish (Printable)

Tender pasta layered with tomato sauce, ricotta, and mozzarella baked to golden perfection.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 pound ziti pasta

→ Sauce

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
06 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
07 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
08 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
09 - 1 teaspoon salt
10 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
11 - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Cheese Mixture

12 - 14 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
13 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
14 - 1 large egg
15 - ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or 2 tablespoons dried

→ Assembly

16 - 12 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
17 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese for topping

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
02 - Boil ziti pasta in salted water until just al dente, then drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion until translucent, about 4 minutes, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
04 - Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - In a bowl, blend ricotta, Parmesan, egg, and parsley until smooth.
06 - Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce in the baking dish. Layer half the pasta, half the ricotta mixture, half the mozzarella, and more sauce. Repeat layers, topping with extra Parmesan.
07 - Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden.
08 - Let rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and cheese to set.

# Tips from dashanddishes:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you've been cooking all day, making you look like a kitchen hero.
  • The layers of creamy ricotta and melty mozzarella create this incredible texture that keeps people coming back for seconds.
  • It's pure comfort in a dish, the kind of food that makes everyone at your table feel genuinely welcomed and cared for.
02 -
  • Don't cook your pasta all the way to tender. Al dente is non-negotiable here because the oven will finish the job, and overcooked pasta turns mushy in a baking dish.
  • The resting time at the end isn't optional. I learned this by serving too early and watching my carefully constructed layers collapse on someone's plate. Those 10 minutes make all the difference.
  • Taste your sauce before assembling. This is your last chance to adjust seasoning. Once it's baked, you can't fix it.
03 -
  • Use a combination of cheeses if your budget allows. Some people add a handful of fresh mozzarella right before the final bake for pockets of creaminess that don't fully melt.
  • If your sauce seems too thin before baking, let it simmer a few extra minutes. Thin sauce creates a soupy bake. Sauce should coat a spoon.
  • Mozzarella browning faster than you'd like? Tent with foil for the last 5 minutes to prevent burning while keeping the edges golden.

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