One-Dish Baked Ziti Cheeses (Printer-friendly)

Warm baked ziti layered with tomato sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses for an easy main dish.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 pound ziti or penne pasta

→ Sauce

02 - 3 cups marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought)
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
06 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
07 - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
08 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Cheeses

09 - 1½ cups ricotta cheese
10 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
11 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
12 - 1 large egg

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Set oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Boil a large pot of salted water. Cook pasta just until al dente per package directions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Warm olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant. Add marinara sauce, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.
04 - Combine ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, ¼ cup Parmesan, and egg in a bowl. Stir until smooth.
05 - In the baking dish, spread half of the cooked pasta and half of the sauce. Dollop and evenly spread half the cheese mixture over top. Repeat layering with remaining pasta, sauce, and cheese mixture.
06 - Sprinkle remaining 1 cup mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmesan over the layered pasta.
07 - Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until cheese bubbles and is golden.
08 - Allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before topping with fresh basil or parsley. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything bakes in one dish, so cleanup is actually manageable even on a weeknight.
  • The three-cheese blend gets creamy and stretchy in a way that makes everyone reach for seconds.
  • It tastes like you spent all day cooking, but you were really just layering and letting the oven do the work.
02 -
  • Do not skip the standing time after baking, or the layers will slide apart when you try to serve them.
  • Using just al dente pasta prevents it from turning mushy in the oven, which I learned the hard way my first attempt.
03 -
  • Grate your own mozzarella and Parmesan instead of buying pre-shredded, because it melts smoother and tastes noticeably fresher.
  • If the top is browning too quickly, tent the dish loosely with foil for the last few minutes of baking.
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