Baked Ziti

This baked ziti is the ultimate comfort food—hearty pasta, rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and golden, bubbling cheese. Easy to prepare and perfect for gatherings, it’s a cozy dish that’s guaranteed to please a crowd.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 5

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 480

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

For the Pasta

300 g ziti or penne pasta cooked slightly underdone
1 tbsp olive oil to toss pasta after draining

For the Sauce

3 cloves garlic finely minced
1 small onion diced small
500 g ground beef, pork, or a 50/50 blend for richer flavor
700 g tomato passata (pureed tomatoes)
0.5 cup water
1 tsp each dried basil, dried oregano, sugar

Cheese Layer

1 cup ricotta cheese optional
1 cup grated mozzarella
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan optional but recommended
fresh parsley or basil for garnish

Seasonings

2 tsp fennel seeds optional
1 tbsp paprika sweet or plain
0.25 tsp cayenne pepper or ¾ tsp chili flakes
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp each salt & black pepper

Method

Step 1: Cook pasta in salted boiling water, 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain, toss with olive oil, and set aside.
Step 2: Heat oil in a skillet, sauté onion and garlic 2 minutes. Add meat and cook until browned. Stir in fennel, paprika, cayenne, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Add passata, water, basil, oregano, and sugar. Simmer 10 minutes.
Step 3: Mix 2 cups of the sauce with pasta until coated.
Step 4: In a greased 23x33 cm (9x13 inch) dish, layer pasta, dollops of ricotta, remaining sauce, then mozzarella and Parmesan.
Step 5: Cover with foil and bake at 180°C / 350°F for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10–15 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbling.

Notes

✔ Undercook pasta to prevent mushiness. ✔ Blend beef + pork for a richer sauce. ✔ Simmer sauce to deepen flavor. ✔ Make ahead and freeze unbaked for up to 2 months.