Baked Ziti With Ricotta (2024)

Simple baked ziti with ricotta is a delicious, creamy pasta casserole that’s loaded with 3 types of cheese, a quick homemade sauce, and perfectly cooked noodles. It’s a hearty and satisfying vegetarian dish that’s easy enough for weeknight dinners and beautiful enough to share at parties.

This recipe was originally published on August 7, 2014, and was republished in January 2024 to add better quality photos, re-test the recipe, and add more helpful tips.

When I want something indulgent, I go straight for the cheese. I love cheesy dishes like my kimchi mac and cheese or this delicious baked ziti casserole. It’s got ricotta, Parmesan, and mozzarella that transform a classic homemade tomato sauce into a creamy, gooey coating for tender noodles.

And, of course, we add more cheese right on top as it all bakes together to create a dish that’s filling, unbelievably good, and easy to make. It’s pretty hard to beat and so satisfying that even meat-eaters will be happy to chow down on this vegetarian dinner.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The classic flavor combinations of cheese, tomato sauce, herbs, and pasta guarantee a delicious meal.
• It’s a filling casserole that can easily feed the whole family, with no sides necessary.
• The ingredients are available in every season, making this an easy go-to year-round.

Ingredients

I’m willing to bet your local grocery store has these ingredients available 12 months of the year, but if you can’t find something, I’ve shared substitution ideas.

• Ziti – You want a tubular pasta to catch all the fantastic sauce. Penne is a great alternative if you need one.
• Ricotta Cheese – It’s hard to replicate ricotta, but cottage cheese drained of its liquid or mascarpone will do a decent job in a pinch.
• Mozzarella Cheese – I recommend shredded mozzarella, but you can chop fresh mozzarella or use a fontina cheese.
• Parmesan Cheese – Romano or Grana Padano are good swaps.
• Egg
• Olive Oil – The flavor of olive oil is excellent in tomato sauce, but any neutral-flavored oil will work.
• Onion
• Garlic
• Crushed Tomatoes – If you can’t find this, go for whole tomatoes. You can crush them by hand, and they’ll break down while cooking, or give them a quick blitz in a blender.
• Italian Seasoning – Most Italian blends combine dried basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram. Add a pinch of each individually if you don’t have a blend.
• Basil – Go for fresh. It makes a huge difference in the flavor.
• Salt and Pepper

You can skip making the sauce and use a store-bought marinara instead if you’d like. You won’t need the canned tomatoes, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, or olive oil. I still recommend fresh basil for a garnish, but it’s optional.

Instructions

We’ll make tomato sauce, pre-cook the pasta, mix the cheeses, and then layer them to bring this dish together. If that feels like a lot, don’t worry! Each step is straightforward and worth it when you pull a gorgeous, cheesy pasta dish from the oven. You’ll need a 9×13 casserole dish, a big pot, and a skillet.

Start by cooking the pasta according to the package directions in a pot of boiling, well-salted water. Be sure not to overcook it. You want a bit of bite left in the middle so it finishes cooking in the oven without becoming mushy.

While that cooks, start your sauce by sauteing the onion and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat. After 3 minutes, add the crushed tomatoes with all the juices, Italian seasoning, chopped fresh basil, and salt and pepper to taste.

Turn it to low and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, then remove it from the heat to cool. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375°F, lightly grease your baking dish, and set it aside. Drain your pasta and give it a quick rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.

Combine half of the cheese with the egg, salt, and pepper. Stir 1 ½ cups of the cooled tomato sauce into the cheese mixture, then combine it with the pasta until well-coated.

Begin layering the baked ziti in this order – half the pasta, ¼ cup of ricotta dotted on top, the remaining pasta sauce, then all the remaining cheese. Pop that in the oven for about 20 minutes, then let it cool on the counter for about 5-10 minutes so it sets up before serving.

Serving and Storage

Add a sprinkle of chopped basil on top before serving. It’s certainly hearty enough to stand alone, but feel free to serve a light salad as well. My arugula watermelon salad with balsamic would be great with these flavors.

Keep leftovers covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days. You can also freeze individual portions or even double the recipe and have a ready-to-bake casserole in the freezer for another night.

I hope you enjoy this vegetarian baked ziti with ricotta as much as we do, and don’t forget to check out my other baked pasta recipes for inspiration on another night.

• Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Noodle Casserole
• Baked Gnocchi with Tomatoes and Spinach
• Ground Turkey Casserole with Pasta and Mushrooms