Easy Baked Ziti Recipe

This easy baked ziti recipe is a classic Italian-American dish made with ziti pasta, marinara, cheese and beef then baked until bubbly. It’s a simple and satisfying!

Favorite Baked Ziti

This is my favorite easy baked ziti recipe that is in my rotation along with baked tomato and feta pasta, mostaccioli and hamburger casserole!! There is just something so comforting about taking a bite of warm, cheesy noodles covered in a flavorful sauce.

I often refer to this baked pasta as a lazy lasagna! It has all the zesty flavors but is so much easier to make. I love to make this ziti dish as meal prep as it reheats and freezes beautifully.

Ingredient Notes

The simple ingredients in this baked pasta recipe are versatile to what you have on hand!

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

• Noodles: Ziti noodles are the classic noodles to use, however, you could substitute other types of pasta shapes like rigatoni or penne as well.
• Cheese: The recipe calls for freshly grated mozzarella, however, feel free to make swaps based on what you have on hand, like Parmesan cheese or provolone.
• Tomato-based products: We add in a can of diced tomatoes, as well as a 26-ounce jar of spaghetti sauce or marinara sauce.
• Sour cream: I love the added creaminess that the sour cream gives the ziti. It takes this recipe over the top. You can use full fat ricotta cheese instead!
• Meat: You can use a pound of your preferred meat of choice. I like to use either ground beef or Italian sausage, but sometimes I use both like I do in my bolognese sauce recipe.
• Aromatics and spices: There are lots of different aromatics and spices used to give this dish it’s a wonderful flavor. You’ll need onions, garlic, fresh basil, oregano, salt, and pepper.

How to Make Baked Ziti

Baked ziti is an easy dinner to make on a busy weeknight. Simply brown the ground beef, cook the pasta, then combine it together. It is a perfect Italian dinner!

• Prep. Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet and add in onions and garlic. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, then add in hamburger and brown. While the meat is browning, boil the pasta to al dente and then drain.
• Simmer. Once the meat has browned, stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, pepper, oregano, and basil. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
• Assemble. Add in sour cream and noodles and mix. Then pour half the mixture into a greased 9×13″ casserole dish and top with half of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Pour the remaining pasta mixture on top and sprinkle on the remaining cheese.
• Bake. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Then top with fresh basil or parsley if desired.

Tips and Variations

• Pasta. You can use other types of noodles too, like penne, rigatoni, rotini, fusilli, and farfalle. Gluten-free pasta can be substituted.
• Spice. Feel free to add some red pepper flakes to give the dish a little heat.
• Cheese. Freshly grated cheese melts way better than the pre-shredded bags. Got cheddar? Make this ground beef casserole recipe instead!
• Meat. Instead of ground meat, try making baked ziti with meatballs or try ground turkey or ground pork.
• Ricotta. Simply pour the pasta mixture into the dish, add the ricotta filling on top, then pour in the remaining pasta, and then cover with mozzarella.
• Covering the pasta. There is need to cover the baked pasta unless you are reheating or cooking baked ziti from frozen.
• Instant pot. Instead of baking in the oven, try making instant pot-baked ziti. No need to boil the noodles separately, they cook right in your pressure cooker!

Serving Suggestions

• Salad: My favorite Olive Garden salad or chopped salad are so good served with baked pasta.
• Bread: With any Italian meal, I love to serve garlic bread or breadsticks.

Make-Ahead, Freezing and Reheating

• Make-ahead: To make in advance, simply assemble, cover with foil, and place in the fridge. The dish will keep in the fridge for about 2 days. When ready to bake, simply remove the foil and bake at 350°F for 35 to 45 minutes.
• Freezing: Place half of the pasta mixture into an 8×8″ pan, add cheese, and cover with foil. Then place the pan in a zip-top bag and freeze. When ready to cook, remove from the freezer and thaw on the counter for 1 hour or in the refrigerator overnight. Preheat the oven and bake covered for 35-45 minutes.
• Reheating leftovers: Loosely cover with foil and cook in the oven at 350°F until warmed throughout. The foil helps to keep the ziti from drying out. I’ve found that it takes about 15 minutes to heat all the way through.

More Baked Pasta Recipes

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