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Baked Ziti Casserole

7 Irresistible Baked Ziti Casserole Secrets for Perfection

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A classic baked ziti casserole with layers of pasta, cheese, and tomato sauce.

  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 (16 ounce) package ziti
  • 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
  • 1 ½ cups tomato sauce
  • 1 (8 ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 large egg, slightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
  • 2 cups tomato sauce, divided
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook ziti in boiling water until tender yet firm to the bite, about 13 minutes; drain. Rinse ziti with cold water until cool; drain.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  3. Mix together ziti, ricotta cheese, 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, beaten egg, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until well combined.
  4. Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce into the bottom of a 2 1/2-quart shallow baking dish. Pour ziti mixture into the dish. Top with remaining 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese.
  5. Bake in the preheated oven until sauce and cheese layer is bubbly and lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • You can make it ahead of time and refrigerate before baking.
  • Mozzarella and ricotta cheese work best for this recipe.
  • Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • Ziti is a tube-shaped pasta, similar to penne but without ridges.
  • Author: Livia Reed
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Italian-American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 450
  • Sugar: 8g
  • Sodium: 900mg
  • Fat: 18g
  • Saturated Fat: 10g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 6g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 50g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Protein: 22g
  • Cholesterol: 80mg