Baked Ziti Pasta Casserole

There's something about the smell of tomato sauce simmering on the stove that makes a kitchen feel like home. My neighbor brought over a baked ziti one Sunday evening years ago, and I remember being struck by how something so simple—just pasta, sauce, and cheese—could taste so impossibly good. The edges were crispy and golden, the inside creamy and warm, and I kept going back for seconds until I finally asked for her recipe. She laughed and said it was nothing fancy, just layers of comfort. Now I make it whenever I want to feel that same easy contentment, and it never disappoints.

I made this for my partner's office dinner party, and I'll admit I was nervous about bringing a casserole to something that fancy. But when it came out of the oven all bubbling and golden, something shifted in the room. People went quiet, then immediately came back for thirds. Someone said, "This tastes like being hugged by someone who knows how to cook," and that's when I knew this recipe was keeper.

Ingredients

• 450 g (1 lb) ziti or penne pasta: Buy the sturdy box—delicate shapes fall apart in the layers.
• 2 tbsp olive oil: Good quality here matters; it flavors the base.
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped: The finer you chop, the faster it softens and the better it melts into the sauce.
• 3 garlic cloves, minced: Add it after the onion softens, or it burns and turns bitter.
• 800 g (28 oz) canned crushed tomatoes: San Marzano if you can find them—they have fewer seeds and better flavor.
• 2 tbsp tomato paste: Don't skip this; it deepens everything.
• 1 tsp dried oregano and 1 tsp dried basil: Use dried here, not fresh—it distributes better in the sauce.
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional): Just a whisper gives complexity without heat.
• 1 tsp sugar: A small trick to balance acidity.
• Salt and black pepper, to taste: Season as you go; taste before you bake.
• 425 g (15 oz) ricotta cheese: The creamy heart of this dish—don't use low-fat.
• 1 large egg: This binds the ricotta mixture so it doesn't separate.
• 60 g (1/2 cup) grated Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated, not from a shaker.
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped: A small brightness against the richness.
• 250 g (2 1/2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese: Low-moisture mozzarella; fresh mozzarella releases too much water.
• Additional Parmesan for topping: This gets the golden crust.

Instructions

Set Your Stage:

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and grease a large baking dish. This gives the oven time to reach temperature and keeps the edges from sticking.

Cook Pasta Slightly Shy:

Boil the ziti in salted water until just al dente, about 2 minutes before package instructions suggest. It'll continue cooking in the oven, so this matters.

Build the Sauce Base:

Heat olive oil and sauté the onion until soft and golden, then add garlic for just a minute—you want fragrant, not burned. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, sugar, salt, and pepper.

Let Sauce Simmer:

Leave it uncovered for 10–15 minutes so it thickens and the flavors marry. You'll notice it darkening slightly and smell the richness building.

Mix the Ricotta Layer:

Combine ricotta, egg, Parmesan, and parsley in a bowl. Season gently with salt and pepper—the Parmesan adds saltiness, so taste as you go.

Toss Pasta with Sauce:

In a large bowl, combine the drained pasta with half the sauce. This coats everything evenly.

Layer One:

Spread half the sauced pasta in the baking dish, then dollop and gently spread half the ricotta mixture over it. Sprinkle half the mozzarella on top.

Layer Two:

Repeat with remaining pasta, ricotta, and mozzarella. Pour any remaining sauce over the top and finish with a generous sprinkle of Parmesan.

Bake Covered, Then Uncover:

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes so the cheese melts gently without browning. Then remove foil and bake 10–15 minutes more until the top is bubbling and golden at the edges.

Rest Before Serving:

Let it sit for 10 minutes after coming out—this lets the layers set so you can cut clean portions.

Save

My daughter once asked why this tasted so much better than the version I made straight from a cooking website. I realized it wasn't the recipe—it was that I'd learned to trust the process, to season as I went, to undercook the pasta without second-guessing myself. That's when cooking stopped being about following instructions and started being about knowing what you're making and why.

Why This Dish Works

Baked ziti is engineering disguised as comfort food. You've got starch from the pasta, fat from the cheese, acid and umami from the tomatoes—each element doing something. The ricotta stays creamy while the mozzarella crisps at the edges. The sauce soaks into the pasta without turning it to mush because you were smart about cooking time. There's a reason this dish has survived decades of American kitchens; it works because the proportions are honest.

Variations to Consider

Once you understand how this dish is built, you can play with it. Brown a pound of Italian sausage and stir it into the sauce if you want richness and spice. Sauté a big handful of spinach separately and layer it in for color and nutrition. Roasted zucchini, mushrooms, or bell peppers all slide in without disrupting the balance. The casserole stays true to itself because the structure is sound; what you add is just a conversation with those three core elements.

What to Serve Alongside

A crisp salad with a sharp vinaigrette cuts through the richness and prepares your palate. Garlic bread is obvious but necessary. A medium-bodied red wine—Chianti, Sangiovese, or even a simple Montepulciano—frames the tomato and cheese beautifully. Nothing elaborate; baked ziti doesn't ask for fuss. It just wants to be what it is: warm, generous, and enough.

• A simple arugula salad with lemon dressing is my go-to.
• Toasted bread rubbed with garlic catches the sauce beautifully.
• Skip heavy sides and let the casserole be the main event.

Save

There's real magic in a dish that tastes like someone cared about feeding you. Baked ziti does that without pretense or fuss. Make it, feed people, and watch their faces change.

Recipe FAQs

→ What type of pasta works best for this dish?

Ziti or penne pasta are ideal due to their tubular shapes that hold sauce and cheese well.

→ How can I make the sauce richer?

Simmering crushed tomatoes with sautéed onions, garlic, tomato paste, and herbs for 15 minutes develops a deep, flavorful sauce.

→ Can I prepare this dish ahead of time?

Yes, assemble the layers and refrigerate before baking. Bake when ready, adding extra time if chilled.

→ What cheese substitutes can I use for ricotta?

Cottage cheese can replace ricotta for a similar creamy texture but a slightly different taste.

→ How should I store leftovers?

Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. Reheat gently to maintain creamy texture.