Freezer Make-Ahead Baked Ziti (Printer-friendly)

Hearty pasta bake with rich tomato sauce, creamy ricotta, and melted mozzarella. Freezes beautifully for busy weeknights.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 pound ziti or penne pasta

→ Sauce

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 pound Italian sausage or ground beef, optional
06 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
07 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
08 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
09 - 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
10 - 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
11 - 1 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - 1 teaspoon sugar

→ Cheese Mixture

14 - 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
15 - 1 large egg
16 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
17 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. If freezing, use a disposable or freezer-safe 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Cook ziti in a large pot of salted boiling water until just barely al dente, approximately 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and toss lightly with olive oil to prevent sticking.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more.
04 - If using meat, add sausage or ground beef to the skillet. Cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat if needed.
05 - Stir in oregano, basil, red pepper flakes if using, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, pepper, and sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
06 - In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, egg, Parmesan, and 1 cup mozzarella. Mix until smooth.
07 - Spread 1 cup sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Layer half the cooked pasta, then half the ricotta mixture, then half the remaining sauce. Repeat layers. Top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella.
08 - Let cool completely, then cover tightly with foil. Label and freeze for up to 3 months.
09 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake covered for 60-75 minutes, then uncover and bake 20-25 minutes more until bubbly and golden. If baking fresh, reduce covered baking time to 30 minutes, then uncover for 15 minutes.
10 - Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You can assemble it on a calm Sunday and forget about weeknight cooking stress for months.
  • It feeds a crowd without making you feel like you're running a restaurant from your kitchen.
  • The ricotta and mozzarella layers create pockets of creamy richness that transform simple tomato sauce into something restaurant-worthy.
02 -
  • Undercook the pasta intentionally—this single mistake ruins more baked zitis than anything else, because the pasta keeps cooking in the oven and you end up with a mushy casserole.
  • Make sure the ricotta mixture is completely smooth with no lumps, otherwise you'll bite into pockets of grainy cheese and the whole texture falls apart.
  • Cool the assembled dish completely before freezing, or condensation will build up under the foil and make the top soggy when you thaw it.
03 -
  • Toss the cooked pasta lightly with a bit of olive oil before layering it, which prevents it from sticking together in an immovable clump.
  • If your sauce tastes too acidic when you taste it, a pinch more sugar works better than salt for balancing that sharpness.
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