Baked Ziti
This bubbling, cheesy baked ziti is comfort food kids can't resist, with tender pasta swimming in marinara and creamy ricotta under a blanket of melted mozzarella. It's a make-ahead-friendly dinner that reheats beautifully for school-night leftovers.
By YumYum Editorial · Kid-Friendly
Prep: 15 min · Cook: 30 min · Total: 45 min · Serves 6
Ingredients
- 1 pound ziti pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook ziti until just shy of al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directs; drain.
- In a small skillet, warm olive oil over medium heat and sauté garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant, then stir into the marinara sauce.
- In a bowl, mix ricotta, egg, parmesan, basil, and salt until smooth.
- Toss the drained ziti with the marinara sauce, then fold in half of the ricotta mixture, dolloping the rest over the top along with half the mozzarella.
- Transfer to the baking dish, top with the remaining mozzarella, cover with foil, and bake for 20 minutes.
- Uncover and bake another 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden in spots.
- Let rest 5 minutes before serving.