When one of my friends is hurting, the first thing I want to do is take them a home-cooked meal. It’s my way of saying “I love you” and I hope you “feel better soon.” Baked Ziti is one of those comfort foods that makes everything a little better. It feeds a large group, and is always a delicious treat.
I’ve played with this recipe over the years, but I think I’ve finally found the perfect combination of cheese, sauce and noodles. You know what I’m talking ’bout. It’s what I call the TRIFECTA of GOODNESS.
Baked Ziti is simple to make. Just boil ziti noodles, drain, and start layering with spaghetti sauce, ricotta, parmesan and mozzarella. The combination of three different types of cheese sets it apart from all the others.
Serve this delicious meal with crusty bread and my Rainbow Salad. It’s also easy to prepare and freeze to use at a later time. When ready to serve, let thaw for 30 minutes out of the freezer, then bake at 350 degrees for one hour.
Do you have a friend who needs a little pick-me-up? Delivering a pan of Baked Ziti speaks volumes when words are hard to find.
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Baked Ziti To Go
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
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Pin RecipeDescription
Baked Ziti is one of those comfort foods that makes everything a little better. It feeds a large group, and is always a delicious treat.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ziti pasta, boiled and drained
- 32 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese
- 16 oz. shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tsp. garlic, minced
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 45 oz. jar of spaghetti sauce
- 16 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Boil and drain ziti pasta.
- Mix ricotta, parmesan, oregano, basil and garlic in a large bowl with 2 beaten eggs to create cheese mixture.
- In a large casserole dish or to-go pan, spread a thin layer of spaghetti sauce on the bottom to avoid sticking.
- Alternate layers of noodles, sauce, mozzarella and cheese mixture until you reach the top of the pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until cheese melts and forms a golden crust.
Notes
Serve with a loaf of crusty garlic bread and a mixed green salad.
Baked Ziti freezes well if it needs to be served at a later date. Freeze before baking. When ready to serve, let thaw for 30 minutes on counter. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
- Category: Main Dishes
- Method: One Pan
Keywords: baked ziti, italian, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan
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Hey Debi I remember you making this recipe years ago. Might have been when we worked in kindergarten together! It was delicious then, can’t imagine it any better but going to try it soon!!!
Thanks Penny! Yep, I’ve been making it a long time. It’s definitely a keeper! 🙂
How would you freeze and bake? bake first, then freeze? freeze, then bake? How long?
Hi Pam! I have done it both ways. Freezing first, then baking afterwards works best. 350 degrees for 1 hour. Hope that helps! 🙂
This looks so delish! Thanks for sharing the recipes. Going to make this soon.
Thanks Julie! Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Delicious! Prepared for Christmas dinner ahead of time and placed in the freezer. Baking time was longer than expected because I didn’t remove the cover (plastics wrap and foil) from the dish while thawing. The dish was very moist and full of flavor. I used the Bertolli Olive Oil and Garlic Sauce as my sauce – great choice. Thanks Debi – we’re a few pounds heavier following this scrumptious dish but it was well worth it!
★★★★★
Thanks Debbie! I appreciate the info on the cooking time after freezing. So glad you loved the ziti!