Cheesy Baked Ziti is filled with delicious flavor, cheesy goodness, and simple and affordable ingredients. It is the perfect recipe for a quick and filling weeknight meal.
When things are crazy busy, I turn to quick and easy meals that come together without a lot of work. This Cheesy Baked Ziti is one of my favorites for just that.
It’s quick to make, affordable, and makes plenty for leftovers – which we love. You know, some things just taste better the next day and this is one of them!
I personally think this is the best baked ziti recipe around. But, I’m not biased or anything. It’s cheesy, hearty, and sticks-to-your-ribs, as my grandmother likes to say. That basically means it leaves you with a full belly for quite some time. This dish is perfect for the cooler months but is so delicious, you’ll want it all year long.
Can I substitute ground beef for ground sausage in baked ziti?
If you switch out ground beef for ground sausage, this easy baked ziti recipe might lack some flavor because beef alone can be a bit plain. So, my suggestion is to mix both ground beef and ground sausage. This combo allows for those great flavors we all love in a good baked ziti, while still allowing you the substitute. You could even do a mixture of ground turkey and ground sausage if you want!
Can I freeze baked ziti?
I think this baked ziti freezes just fine. The only thing I’d like you to note is that the ziti noodles may get a little soft or mushy when frozen, but it’s still delicious! Just something to keep in mind.
As for the storage duration, baked ziti can generally be stored in the freezer for up to three months. Beyond that, the texture and flavors start to decline.
When reheating frozen baked ziti, I recommend letting it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, you can reheat it in an oven-safe dish and covered in aluminum foil in the oven at around 325°F. It will take 20-30 minutes to reheat the entire dish all the way through, but I recommend checking on it about every 10 minutes or so.
How do you keep baked ziti moist?
The key to a moist and delicious baked ziti is to make sure you use plenty of marinara sauce. I know the amount I have listed in this recipe may seem like a lot, but trust me on this. Nevertheless, dryness can still happen, especially with leftovers. To keep it moist, store it in a sealed, airtight container so none of the moisture escapes.
Recipe Card
Cheesy Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 1 (1-pound) box ziti ((I used ziti rigati, but you can also use penne))
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
- 2 (24-ounce) jars marinara
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 (8-ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large stock pot, heat about 2 quarts of water to boiling and stir in about 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta and stir occasionally. Cook until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet or dutch oven. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add the sausage and crumble and cook until just browned. Drain away the excess fat and return the meat and onion mixture to the heat. Add the marinara sauce and Italian seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste. Fold in the pasta being sure to coat it in the sauce.
- Add about half of the pasta and sauce mixture to the prepared baking dish. Stir the ricotta cheese in the container to make it smooth then drop dollops of it evenly onto the pasta. Sprinkle all the parmesan and about half of the mozzarella cheese over it.
- Add the remaining pasta mixture in another layer. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Allow the ziti to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
roberta
Do you think this would freeze? I like to portion out dishes and then freeze so I can take to work. Thanks
I think it would freeze fine. Just keep in mind that pasta often gets a little soft or mushy when frozen, but it’s still delicious!
Rachel
I have made and eaten many baked ziti dishes over the years and this one is BY FAR the best!! I used ground chuck instead of sausage.
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it, Rachel!
Ashley O
Hubs and I loved it!! We tweaked it a little…. We used salsiccia, did a jat or marinara and a jar or tomato/basil sauce and added 1 tsp of crushed red chili flake for a bit of spice!! Super yum!!!
Sounds great! So glad y’all enjoyed it!
Ashley
Just made this for the third time! It’s a keeper!!! Thanks 😊
Awesome! So glad to hear you’ve gotten some great use out of this one.
Karen
Hi I’m planning to make this soon. Would this be good with ground beef or mixture of Italian sausage and hamburger? Thanks!
Karen, you might find it a little bland with just beef so my recommendation would be to use a blend of beef and sausage.
Pat Muldoon
Made it. Fantastic. My wife if vegetarian so instead of sausage I added spinach and zucchini. Brought some to a friend everyone loved it especially me. Making another one this week with the meet can’t wait. Easy Peasy.
pat Muldoon
Meat
So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Sherman Rockwell
I can’t wait to go with this recipe. Something I have enjoyed for quite sometime. however have never made it.
Thank you!
Hope you enjoy it!
Karen
Can u make this ahead?
You can!
Katherine Rivenbark
Can you use ground beef instead of sausage?
Yes, absolutely.