This baked ziti is all about simple, whole ingredients. No jarred store-bought sauces here! Just a garlicky tomato sauce simmered with herbs and ground beef. Then it’s topped with a creamy ricotta and cream cheese mixture that melts into the pasta for a cheesy, irresistible finish that’ll have you craving the leftovers!
For more baked pasta, try our Most Amazing Lasagna or our Cheesy Baked Spaghetti.
Why My Recipe
- A homemade tomato sauce that’s easy to make and impresses everyone.
- Cream cheese + ricotta topping = extra creamy (different from mozzarella-heavy versions).
- Bakes up in under an hour and it’ll be ready to feed a crowd.
Baked ziti is one of those dinners that makes the whole table quiet because everyone’s too busy eating! It’s quick (under an hour), easy to scale up, and feeds a crowd pretty easily. It’s perfect for weeknights, weekends, impressing guests, and stashing in the freezer for future you who will be most grateful.
Ingredient Notes
- Ground Beef: We use regular ground beef here, but you can also use ground turkey or chicken if you prefer something leaner.
- Olive Oil: Any neutral oil will work here. Vegetable or avocado oil are a great alternative.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic brings the best flavor, but pre-minced jarred garlic also works.
- Onion: White or yellow onions both work well in this recipe.
- Mushrooms: Optional, but a great way to add flavor and texture. Use white button or cremini mushrooms.
- Tomato Paste: Open both ends of the can and push it through for an easy, mess-free way to get it all out.
- Crushed Tomatoes & Tomato Sauce: If you like a super smooth sauce, blend the crushed tomatoes first or use extra tomato sauce.
- Ziti Pasta: Can’t find ziti? Penne or rigatoni are great substitutes with a similar size and shape.
- Cream Cheese: Make sure it’s softened for a smooth, easy-to-mix topping.
- Ricotta Cheese: Whole milk ricotta gives the creamiest result. You can sub in cottage cheese and use the same amount.
- Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated is best for flavor and melting. Pre-shredded just doesn’t hit the same.
Pasta Options
Ziti is the traditional pasta used for this dish (it’s named after it!), but it isn’t always easy to find, depending on where you live! If you need to substitute, head for the Penne pasta or rigatoni. They are both a similar shape and size, and hold onto the sauce really well.
Rigatoni is increasingly favored by chefs and foodies for baked ziti because of the ridges and slightly larger tubes.
Whatever shape you use, cook your pasta just to al dente so it doesn’t end up overcooking and turning mushy in the oven.
Make-Ahead Option
This is a great make-ahead meal. Assemble it up to the point of baking, then cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to bake, let it sit on the counter while the oven preheats. You may need to add 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time since it’s starting cold.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
To freeze before baking, fully assemble the dish, cover with plastic wrap or an airtight lid, and place it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before baking.
To freeze after baking, divide up into portions and freeze in resealable plastic freezer bags or other freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Microwave portions in 30-second increments until warmed through.
To reheat larger portions, bake at 350°F until heated through. Cover with foil to keep the moisture in.
More delicious pasta recipes…
Made this for a family party last night. Eleven guests so I doubled the recipe. Not a drop left!!
– Debi
Will be trying this. Made baked ziti a week and a half ago. I have always been able to find ziti pasta in my Walmarts here in SD.
How many servings are in the 9×13 size . Just would be helpful to know what the nutrition is based upon for a serving. Looks delicious. I do have to curb some calories and I see place to do so, but it will maintain the integrity of your recipe. Thanks for the content.
The number of servings is listed in the recipe. For this recipe, it’s 8 servings, or 1/8th of the recipe.
This is delicious. I also use sausage instead of ground beef. I don’t use cream cheese cause he doesn’t like it. It feeds a crowd and is just as delicious the second time around!
Could I freeze this?
Yes, you can! Just assemble it with the sauce and cheese, cover it tightly, and freeze. When you’re ready to bake, let it thaw in the fridge overnight and then cook as directed, adding a little extra time if it’s still cold in the center. You can also bake it first, let it cool, and then freeze, reheating it later in the oven until warmed through.
I don’t like ricotta cheese is there anything else I can use instead.
Cottage cheese is a great replacement for ricotta. Use it in the same amount.
I just use grated mozzarella and parmesan. Delicious. May try the cheese next time I make it.
This is amazing best pasta dish we have had and i am not a big pasta fan i have just got your recipe book so looking forward to working my way through
Awww thank you! May the book end up with food stains and pages falling out from so much use!
This is delicious and so simple to make. The leftovers were just as yummy. A perfect weeknight meal! My husband loved it and requested it to be added to the monthly rotation.
Im out of white onion can I use red onion or onion powder? I went to the store and they only had red (rural area)
Yes, red onion will work just fine as a substitute. It’ll add a slightly different, slightly sweeter flavor, but it won’t hurt the dish at all. If you’d rather not use red onion, you could also use about one to two teaspoons of onion powder instead. Just add it to the sauce as it simmers.
This was so yummy. I am looking forward to the leftovers.
Turn out so good. Thank You for the recipe. Easy to make. 5 stars
Love this recipe! Love the thick layer of cream cheese/ricotta which my husband loves. I always go back to this recipe to do again. I sometimes change out the type of pasta and how many layers interchange the cheese make double amount for like a lasagna type. Always a hit!