Our Favorite Baked Ziti
Extra easy baked ziti recipe made entirely from scratch! Our favorite baked ziti is creamy and cheesy with a mixture of pasta, a 5 minute homemade sauce, and four cheeses. I am super excited for you to try this easy baked ziti recipe. Thanks to our no-cook creamy tomato sauce, this is the best ziti I’ve made in a long time. The secret is blending creamy cheese into the sauce to make it extra cheesy and creamy. It’s so good! This baked ziti will be on the table in about 30 minutes. Even though the sauce is from scratch, it’s super simple and absolutely doable on a weeknight! For more pasta recipes like this one, see our baked ziti with spinach! Key Ingredients Pasta: Choose your favorite tube-shaped pasta, such as ziti, penne, or rigatoni. The sauce gets trapped inside each piece. I cook it in salted water for about half the recommended time. We partially cook the pasta so that it doesn’t overcook and become mushy when it bakes in the oven. Canned Tomatoes: I make my own no-cook baked ziti sauce. The base is a large can of whole tomatoes. Choose San Marzano tomatoes (I love their flavor!). Garlic and Basil: These are blended into the no-cook sauce. Fresh basil is amazing in this baked ziti, but I have provided a substitute for using dried basil in the recipe below. Four Kinds of Cheese: I like my baked ziti super cheesy, so I use four kinds of cheese. To make the sauce creamy, I use mascarpone cheese (ricotta is a good substitute), then I stir in melty mozzarella, fontina, and Pecorino Romano (or parmesan). Pasta: Choose your favorite tube-shaped pasta, such as ziti, penne, or rigatoni. The sauce gets trapped inside each piece. I cook it in salted water for about half the recommended time. We partially cook the pasta so that it doesn’t overcook and become mushy when it bakes in the oven. Canned Tomatoes: I make my own no-cook baked ziti sauce. The base is a large can of whole tomatoes. Choose San Marzano tomatoes (I love their flavor!). Garlic and Basil: These are blended into the no-cook sauce. Fresh basil is amazing in this baked ziti, but I have provided a substitute for using dried basil in the recipe below. Four Kinds of Cheese: I like my baked ziti super cheesy, so I use four kinds of cheese. To make the sauce creamy, I use mascarpone cheese (ricotta is a good substitute), then I stir in melty mozzarella, fontina, and Pecorino Romano (or parmesan). How to Make Baked Ziti I love this baked ziti recipe because it is so simple to make. I’ve made it on busy nights many times. While your pasta partially cooks, you’ll make the no-cook sauce. I use my food processor, but a blender is fine. Blend the tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil, and mascarpone cheese. Simple! Mix the partially cooked pasta with the sauce, add more cheese (mozzarella, fontina, and Pecorino Romano), and then add to your baking dish. Bake until bubbly (10 to 15 minutes), and dig in! What to Serve with Baked Ziti Baked ziti works for the weeknight, gatherings, and even during the holidays. I’m perfectly content with a bowl of this ziti and calling it a day, but to round out the meal, think about something light and fresh. I love this homemade Caesar salad, this Italian chopped salad, and this quick sautéed spinach. Another idea is to toss your favorite greens and veggies into a salad bowl and top with one of our homemade salad dressings. Two of my favorites are this balsamic vinaigrette and our honey mustard dressing. Our Favorite Baked Ziti PREP 15 mins COOK 15 mins TOTAL 30 mins PREP 15 mins COOK 15 mins TOTAL 30 mins Extra easy baked ziti recipe made entirely from scratch! Our favorite baked ziti is creamy and cheesy with a mixture of pasta, a simple homemade sauce, and four cheeses. 8 servings Watch Us Make the Recipe You Will Need 1 pound (450g) dried pasta like ziti, penne, or rigatoni 1 (28 oz) can San Marzano whole tomatoes 1 cup (18g) fresh basil leaves or 3 tablespoons dried basil 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 3 garlic cloves, minced (1 tablespoon) 1/2 cup (113g) mascarpone cheese or use whole milk ricotta (4 ounces) 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 ½ cups (128g) grated mozzarella cheese (4 ½ ounces) 1 ½ cups (128g) grated Fontina cheese (4 ½ ounces) 3/4 cup (120g) finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese (2 ¼ ounces) Directions 1Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Grease a large baking dish (3-quart) with butter or oil. 2Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, add the pasta, and cook for about half the recommended cook time on the package (5 or 6 minutes). Save 1/2 cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta, and then place it back into the pot. Undercooking the pasta makes sure that it does not overcook when baked with the sauce in the oven. 3While the pasta cooks, make the sauce. Combine canned tomatoes and their juices, basil, garlic, salt, pepper, and mascarpone cheese in a blender or food processor. Blend until the basil and garlic are chopped into tiny bits and the sauce is well mixed. Taste and adjust with additional salt as needed. Set aside. 4Toss the mozzarella, Fontina, and Pecorino Romano cheese in a medium bowl. 5Add the sauce, 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water, and three-quarters of the shredded cheese mix to the pot with the pasta. Stir well. The mixture should look a bit thin. If it seems thick, add more of the reserved pasta water. 6Transfer the ziti mixture to the baking dish and scatter the remaining shredded cheese mix on top. 7Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese melts and turns golden brown. Allow the baked ziti to cool for 5 minutes before serving. 1Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Grease a large baking dish (3-quart) with butter or oil. 2Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, add the pasta, and cook for about half the recommended cook time on the package (5 or 6 minutes). Save 1/2 cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta, and then place it back into the pot. Undercooking the pasta makes sure that it does not overcook when baked with the sauce in the oven. 3While the pasta cooks, make the sauce. Combine canned tomatoes and their juices, basil, garlic, salt, pepper, and mascarpone cheese in a blender or food processor. Blend until the basil and garlic are chopped into tiny bits and the sauce is well mixed. Taste and adjust with additional salt as needed. Set aside. 4Toss the mozzarella, Fontina, and Pecorino Romano cheese in a medium bowl. 5Add the sauce, 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water, and three-quarters of the shredded cheese mix to the pot with the pasta. Stir well. The mixture should look a bit thin. If it seems thick, add more of the reserved pasta water. 6Transfer the ziti mixture to the baking dish and scatter the remaining shredded cheese mix on top. 7Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese melts and turns golden brown. Allow the baked ziti to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Adam and Joanne's Tips Storing: Leftover baked ziti can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Store-bought sauce: You will need 3 ½ to 4 cups of sauce to make this baked ziti. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Storing: Leftover baked ziti can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Store-bought sauce: You will need 3 ½ to 4 cups of sauce to make this baked ziti. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1/8 of the recipe / Calories 511 / Total Fat 27.2g / Saturated Fat 15.7g / Cholesterol 74.4mg / Sodium 511mg / Carbohydrate 46.4g / Dietary Fiber 2.8g / Total Sugars 4.5g / Protein 19.1g AUTHOR: Joanne Gallagher We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and confidently cook fresh and flavorful meals.More About Us