Description
This Make-Ahead Baked Ziti is the ultimate crowd-pleaser—cheesy, rich, and ready when you are. Perfect for parties, weeknight dinners, or freezer meal prep, it’s loaded with ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, and a generous helping of tomato sauce for that classic Italian-American comfort flavor.
Ingredients
1 lb ziti pasta
6 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
15 oz ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 large eggs
3/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 cups tomato sauce (plain or with your choice of meat substitute)
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
2. Cook the ziti according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese with the ricotta, Parmesan, eggs, 1/2 cup of the parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth.
4. Add the cooked ziti to the cheese mixture and stir to coat evenly. Mix in 2 cups of the tomato sauce.
5. In a large baking dish, spread 2 cups of tomato sauce across the bottom.
6. Layer half of the ziti mixture over the sauce, then top with another 2 cups of sauce and 2 cups of mozzarella cheese.
7. Add the remaining ziti mixture, followed by the rest of the sauce and the remaining mozzarella cheese.
8. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until bubbly and heated through.
9. Let rest for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with the remaining parsley before serving.
Notes
To freeze, assemble the entire dish, cover tightly with foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking. For a crispier top, remove foil for the final 10 minutes of baking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: One-Pot & Easy Meals
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American