There is nothing quite like Baked Ziti, my friends. This recipe starts with a flavor-loaded, hearty meat sauce that is the foundation. It’s brimming with three different kinds of cheese, fresh herbs, and spices. It’s guaranteed to be a weeknight favorite that everyone will love or the perfect main dish for cozy weekends, holiday-inspired feasts, and everything in between! Make-ahead notes + freezer-friendly, too!

baked ziti with garlic bread on plate

I’ve been into comforting classics lately; foods that I make routinely and hit the soul just right. Yeah, my baked ziti is just that. I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I make it. Baked ziti is a dish that I find myself turning to on busy weeknights, when entertaining, and whenever I wanna gift someone a good ole cozy dish just because. It is a classic gem of deliciousness and a meal that screams crowd pleaser.

cheesy baked ziti in baking dish with spoon

The Best Baked Ziti You Will Ever Eat!

Listen, I love this baked ziti recipe for so many reasons and I know you will as well, here’s why:

  1. SO EASY! Unlike other pasta recipes, classic baked ziti is super simple. You won’t find a heavily developed meat sauce or a bajillion ingredients to make this baked ziti. Yup, she’s an easy-to-make recipe yet so unbelievably good- love this so much!
  2. CHEESY, CHEESY GOODNESS! I think we can all agree that cheesy pasta is a damn good pasta. Yes. Y’all, my recipe has *three* kinds of cheeses in it and those cheeses blend so nicely when sopped up with that glorious meaty sauce, yum. The golden brownness when it’s done baking just sends me.
  3. FLAVOR-TOWN EXPRESS! Like I said earlier, while this baked ziti recipe is easy to make, it does not compromise on flavor at all. Every single bite is loaded with wonderfully rich meat sauce, spices, a combination of cheeses, and fresh basil, it’s simply perfect.
ingredients for classic baked ziti on tiled surface

Baked Ziti Ingredients- Here’s What You’ll Need:

(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card directly below.)

  • Ziti pasta: This is the obvious, however, if you do not have or can’t find ziti pasta other great pasta that will work for this recipe are penne and rigatoni pasta.
  • Olive oil + butter: For browning and sautéing.
  • Italian sausage: This recipe uses an all-sausage base for the meat. I prefer hot Italian ground sausage for a bit of heat, too. I find sausage to give off a juicier and more flavorful meat sauce. If you do not consume sausage or need an alternative, ground beef works just as well! Additionally, you can even use a combination of the two if you’d like!
  • Onion: A must for developing the meat sauce.
  • Garlic: 5 fresh garlic cloves!
  • Tomato paste: More tomato, umami flavor.
  • Brown sugar: Helps to balance out the acidity from the tomato products.
  • Crushed fire roasted tomatoes: This is one of the main stars of the sauce- fire roasted tomatoes have even more flavor.
  • Spices: Salt/pepper, dried oregano, dried basil, and garlic powder.
  • The cheeses: Ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese.
  • Fresh basil: There’s fresh basil throughout this baked ziti for a lovely herbaceous punch- more specifically, a basil chiffonade (thin strips of basil)…further explained in the recipe card below.
browned sausage in skillet with wooden spoon
meat sauce in pot with wooden spoon
ricotta dolloped over ziti in baking dish
ziti pasta in baking dish with shredded cheese

How To Make This Baked Ziti Recipe:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly spray or grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
  2. In a large dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. When hot, add the ground sausage and cook until the sausage is browned and lightly crispy, about 5-7 minutes.
  3. Then add the onion and sauté until tender, about 2-3 minutes. Then add the garlic and continue cooking until the garlic is fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and brown sugar until well combined. Pour in the whole can of crushed tomatoes and stir well to combine. Season the sauce with spices- stir to combine. Let the meat sauce come up to a nice simmer, about 15-20 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to your package directions, al dente. Reserve some of the starchy pasta water and then drain the pasta. Add the cooked pasta into the same pot with the meat sauce along with the reserved pasta water. Stir everything together to fully combine and then remove the pot from the heat.
  5. Baked ziti assembly: Spoon half of the pasta into the prepared baking dish in an even layer. Then dollop the ricotta cheese directly on top of the pasta. Next, evenly sprinkle half of the shredded mozzarella cheese over the ricotta cheese along with an even sprinkling of half the grated parmesan cheese. Then top with half of the basil chiffonade. Spoon the remaining half of pasta directly on top in an even layer and then sprinkle the remaining half of the mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese to finish.
  6. Bake the ziti for 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Let the baked ziti cool for 10 minutes. Then garnish with remaining basil chiffonade and serve immediately. Yummo 😛!
baked ziti in baking dish with garlic bread on the side

Let’s Talk About The Cheese!

Like a lot of baked ziti recipes, this one includes ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese. In different amounts, all three of these cheeses blend beautifully and give this dish a well-rounded flavor.

Tips + Tricks For The Best Baked Ziti

  • Let the meat sauce simmer– Once the sauce is combined, don’t shut off the heat! Allow the sauce to simmer together as directed in the recipe card below for the flavors to meld together.
  • Don’t overcook the pasta– Boil your pasta according to the package directions; most pasta packages/boxes will have the *al dente* cooking time referenced. Keep in mind that the pasta will continue cooking once combined with the meat sauce and while baking.
  • Use block-style mozzarella cheese– I know it’s tempting to opt for the pre-bagged shredded cheese but, if you can, don’t. That kind of cheese has a powder coating on it that we don’t want, trust me. For a creamier and better-tasting baked ziti, grab a block of mozzarella cheese and use a hand grater to shred the cheese yourself. It’s a small extra step but grating your cheese is so worth it.
closeup of classic baked ziti on small plate

Substitutions, Variations & More!

  1. About The Meat (sausage)– Feel free to use ground beef or ground turkey if sausage isn’t your thing. Otherwise, you can also use a combination of any of your favorite ground meats for this recipe.
  2. Vegan Baked Ziti?– Where are my plant-based bbs at? Y’all can get in on the baked ziti fun just the same with a few swaps! Use any of your favorite vegan ground “beef” along with vegan butter, non-dairy mozzarella cheese shreds + non-dairy parmesan cheese (I like the cheeses from Follow Your Heart and Violife), and vegan ricotta.
  3. Add some veggies!– Throw in some roasted/sautéed mushrooms, eggplant, or zucchini directly into the sauce! Additionally, you can also toss in some fresh spinach, chopped or un-chopped. Just be sure to stir the spinach within the sauce until all of the spinach wilts down.
  4. Make-ahead baked ziti– You can prep this recipe as it is written (do everything except for baking) and keep covered in the fridge up to 2 days in advance. Then bake as directed when ready.

How To Store Baked Ziti

How to store: Baked ziti will last for 3-5 days when stored in the refrigerator. I recommend keeping any leftovers stored inside an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap or foil. Baked ziti will last for 1-2 months when stored in the freezer. If storing in the freezer, wrap the leftovers very well to prevent any freezer burn/odors. When ready to consume frozen baked ziti, let the pasta thaw out in the fridge overnight. Then, reheat the pasta in the microwave or bake in the oven at 350° for about 15-20 minutes.

classic baked ziti with garlic bread on small plates

This Baked Ziti recipe is like a tight hug made edible, y’all. You just can’t beat the comforting goodness of this classic dish. Be sure to tag @butterbeready in your BBR recipe creations, I sure love to see it when you do. Until next time! 🤟🏾

More cozy, simply delicious recipes:

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baked ziti with garlic bread on plate

Cheesy, Perfect Classic Baked Ziti

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 8 reviews
  • Author: Quin Liburd
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 8-10
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Italian-American
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Description

There is nothing quite like Baked Ziti, my friends. This recipe starts with a flavor-loaded, hearty meat sauce that is the foundation. It’s brimming with three different kinds of cheese, fresh herbs, and spices. It’s guaranteed to be a weeknight favorite that everyone will love or the perfect main dish for cozy weekends, holiday-inspired feasts, and everything in between! Make-ahead notes + freezer-friendly, too!

Ingredients

For the meat sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 ½ pounds ground Italian sausage, hot or mild
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
  • 1 (28 ounce) can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
  • Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper- to taste
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

For the baked ziti assembly:

  • 1 pound ziti pasta
  • 15 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 16 ounces low-moisture mozzarella cheese, grated by hand & divided
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
  • ¼ cup basil chiffonade, divided- see note #2 below

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly spray or grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
  2. In a large deep skillet or dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Once the mixture is hot and sizzling, add the ground sausage. Use a wooden utensil to break up the sausage and cook until the sausage is browned and lightly crispy, about 5-7 minutes.
  3. Then add the onion and sauté until tender and translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Then add the garlic and continue cooking until the garlic is fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and brown sugar until well combined. Pour in the whole can of crushed tomatoes and stir well to combine. Season the sauce with salt/pepper to taste, dried oregano, dried basil, and garlic powder- stirring the sauce until fully combined.
  4. Reduce the heat to low and let the meat sauce come up to a nice simmer, about 15-20 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, while the sauce is simmering: on a separate burner, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to your package directions, al dente.
  6. Reserve ⅓ cup of the starchy pasta water, set aside, and then drain the pasta. Add the cooked pasta into the same pot with the meat sauce along with the reserved ⅓ cup of pasta water. Stir everything together to fully combine and then remove the pot from the heat.
  7. To assemble the baked ziti: Spoon half of the pasta into the prepared baking dish in an even layer. Then dollop the ricotta cheese directly on top of the pasta in different sections. Next, evenly sprinkle half of the shredded mozzarella cheese over the ricotta cheese along with an even sprinkling of 2 tablespoons of the grated parmesan cheese. Then top with half of the basil chiffonade. Spoon the remaining half of pasta directly on top in an even layer and then sprinkle the remaining half of the mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese to finish.
  8. Bake the ziti at 375°F for 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the edges are golden brown.
  9. Allow the baked ziti to cool in the baking dish for 10 minutes. Then garnish with remaining basil chiffonade and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. Please read blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.
  2. Basil chiffonade: Place fresh basil leaves directly on top of each other in a stack. Then, from the bottom, roll up the leaves together into a tight log. Use a sharp knife to cut the leaves crosswise into thin strips.

Recipe by: Quin Liburd- Butter Be Ready

Photography by: Ashley McLaughlin