Lasagna
Regina Schrambling
8903 ratings with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars
8,903
4 hours
Baked Ziti
- Total Time
- 1½ hours
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:6 to 8 servings
- ¼cup olive oil
- 1large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4cloves garlic, finely chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2tablespoons tomato paste
- 1(28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, packed in juice
- 1(28-ounce) can tomato purée or sauce
- ¾teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 16ounces/1 pound ricotta
- ½cup heavy cream
- ½cup finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino, plus more for grating on top
- 1pound ziti, rigatoni, penne, manicotti or other short, tubelike pasta
- 1pound fresh mozzarella, cut into ½-inch pieces
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
676 calories; 34 grams fat; 18 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 12 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 63 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 31 grams protein; 989 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Make the tomato sauce: Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is totally softened and translucent (without letting it brown), 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring until it has turned a deeper brick-red color, tinting the oil and onions a fiery orange color, about 2 minutes. Crush the whole tomatoes by hand and add them (including the juice) and the tomato purée to the pot, stirring to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Season with salt and pepper and add red pepper flakes, if using. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato sauce has thickened and flavors have come together, 20 to 30 minutes.
- Step 2
Prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, heavy cream and ½ cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Step 3
Prepare the pasta: As the sauce cooks, heat oven to 425 degrees, and place a large pot of salted water to boil on the stove.
- Step 4
Cook pasta until it’s nearly al dente. (You want to undercook the pasta slightly, as it will continue to cook in the oven. A good way to do this is cook it 2 minutes less than you normally would if preparing it al dente.) Reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid, drain pasta and rinse with cool water; set aside while the tomato sauce finishes cooking.
- Step 5
Once tomato sauce is done, stir in reserved pasta water.
- Step 6
Place pasta in a large bowl and add 2 cups sauce. Stir to coat pasta evenly encouraging the sauce to go inside each tube.
- Step 7
Spoon a bit of remaining sauce on the bottom of a 3-quart baking dish and top with ⅓ of the pasta. Spoon ⅓ of the remaining sauce on top, dollop with half the ricotta mixture and scatter ⅓ of the mozzarella on top of that. Repeat, beginning with the pasta, one more time. For the final layer, add the last ⅓ of pasta and the last of the sauce. Dot remaining mozzarella on top and shave a bit more Parmesan on top of that. Place baking dish on top of a sheet pan lined with parchment paper to catch any drips. Place in the oven and bake until the edges are golden brown and bubbling and the top has browned nicely, 30 to 40 minutes.
- Step 8
Let cool slightly before eating with a big green leafy salad.
Tip
- Baked ziti can be assembled 2 hours before baking. It can be baked 1 day ahead and rewarmed before serving.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Elaine
I would not put the garlic in with the onions. Garlic will burn if you cook it 8-10 minutes. Sauté the onion and add the garlic once the onion is done and cook for about two minutes. You will know if you overcook the garlic because it will have a bitter smell and will ruin the sauce.
Alice Kaiser
This is what I would order for my last meal! The perfect pasta dish, far better than any lasagna I have ever had. Really good tomatoes are key--I used my own home grown and home canned. It's lovely what adding cream to ricotta does. Serve this to people you really love.
David
Add a tiny grating of nutmeg to the ricotta.
John S
Just made this, it’s cooking as I type. Remember to clean out your sauce and ricotta bowls with a couple nice pieces of bread. Wipe the bread on some cheese then wipe some sauce on. Best clean up dish yet!
SDunphy
Has anyone tried this in a slow cooker? I'd like to bring to tailgate, I have access to outlet but no oven to reheat.
Frannie Shifman
What is the point of substituting all the fabulous RICH ingredients with low fat this and low fat that? Just don't make it! I made this ziti last Sunday for our family dinner and we were fighting over who got the bowl passed to them next!!! Truly yummy! No need for egg either, the ricotta does not separate. I made this sauce, and added 1 cup of Giada's Turkey Bolognese sauce and WOW! Thank you for the great, easy recipe. It warmed us up, here in Toronto!
erika m
I was disappointed with this recipe. The ricotta separated and the amount of mozzarella was too much. I agree with another commenter that mozzarella only on top would have been better. The sauce was bland and the pasta water is not needed. I’d recommend adding spices to your liking. I wish I’d added basil and more garlic than the recipe called for, but I didn’t follow my instincts.
Jmk
Short note to say I agree with using half the mozzarella (8 oz), and using a little wine instead of pasta water. Whole milk worked fine instead of cream in a pinch, just enough to make spreadable. I added a tiny amount of parsley to ricotta and pinch oregano to sauce but those definitely optional: simple is better here. As others have noted, use good tomatoes and whole milk ricotta and mozzarella.
Kai
I cooked this last night for a crowd and though creamy and cheesy ( I love that) the overall oomph was not there. Next time I will not put the pasta water in and I would add some dried oregano or basil.
Jab
Season the ricotta with Italian seasoning and pepper as well. It's the most bland part of the dish and needs help.
Mike
Baked ziti is a family favorite at our house, but the kids hate ricotta. So ... after draining the pasta, I mix in 1/4 cup of mascarpone to adhere to the penne. The resulting creaminess in the finished dish is amazing.
Lynn
I made this tonight and it is amazing! My changes: I added ~1/4 red wine after adding tomato paste (which allowed me to omit the pasta water addition later). I added ground beef when I added the canned tomatoes. A trick I learn in another recipe that I use in all baked pastas is to toss the cooked pasta in 1 egg + ricotta cheese. It coats the pasta keeping the ziti moist but together. I didn't have cream but it wasn't necessary. Delicious recipe! Going back for 2nds now!!
David Estroff
incorporate a bit of sausage, ground meat or pancetta, if you like. Simply add 1/2 pound to the onions while sautéeing and proceed with the recipe.
Bula
Cook longer, like 45-50 min. I’ve made twice and the inside has been cool both times even though the cheese was brown & melted and the sauce was boiling. For marinara sauce, use more spices, simmer longer and use quality canned tomatoes. It makes a difference.
Lesley
Can this be made ahead? If so how?
Downeast Mainer
These ratios make a great base to add your own twist. I used what I had on hand (jarred basil tomato sauce instead of tomato puree, full fat cottage cheese instead of heavy cream, added some diced eggplant + garlic to the onion while sauteeing) and cut the recipe in half (ish), using a 9x9 baking dish. Topped w/ pesto (Gotham Greens is the best store-bought), Calabrian chili paste, and lots of flaky salt. Next time will add fennel seed and oregano to the onions, for added flavor. Delicious!
Nia
This reheats perfectly. My family fights over the leftovers.
Kdg
Read some comments and used a splash of red wine in the sauce and half cup of pasta water. It was dry and overcooked and the ricotta was kind of curdled, not creamy. This recipe over complicates what should be a pretty simple dish.
Julie M
A family favourite. I use the best quality canned/jarred tomatoes I can find as the dish is reliant on a very tasty tomato sauce.
Robin
I misread the recipe and bought regular old mozzarella, not fresh mozzarella. Anybody make this with regular whole milk low moisture mozzarella?
Downeast Mainer
Yes, made this recipe tonight with a block of low moisture mozzarella, instead of fresh mozzarella. No problem—just grate it on a box grater. (You will get less rich flavor from the cheese, but the top still browns nicely.)
Patricia
I made this for Superbowl 2024. The texture was great, but it needed something. Maybe I under salted.
paige
I added garlic chicken sausage for protein. Otherwise followed the recipe. This was so good!
Nick
For the love of god you can cook garlic at the same time as onion, especially at lower temps. The onion will release enough moisture to keep the garlic from burning. If you let it go too long both of them will burn anyway.
greg
Incredible dish. Made as is. Only change was adding garlic right before tomatoes to avoid burning.
david shepherd
My standard sauce prep deviates from the suggested; I add a solid two or five glugs of red wine to the sauté stage, then let that reduce to a significant, almost syrupy degree before adding the fresh tomatoes. Also add a chunk of parm rind while the sauce reduces. Added cubed prosciutto, basil/parsley to the sauce, and some sautéd zuke to the first layer, toasted breadcrumbs to the top. This is a good lazy Sunday comfort food prep.
Amelia
Watch Ali make this on NYTCookjng YouTube channel! Super simple and versatile, the key is quality ingredients and to season/taste as you go. I grew up in an anti onion in tomato sauce Italian American family, so I skipped it here. Added fresh basil to the sauce and ricotta, a glug of wine to the sauce, and otherwise cooked as written. A !
MCF
At 30 min it was way too brown on top. My oven temp is pretty accurate, so I'm not sure what happened?
Richard X
Maybe you should have checked at 25 or 20 minutes!
Pam
Delicious! I took many of the comments into consideration and made the following changes, and the dish turned out perfectly. I increased the amount of garlic and also added oregano and basil to the sauce to taste. Also doubled the pepper flakes for more flavor (but you wouldn't want to do this if you don't like a little heat). I used 1/2 cup red wine in place of the pasta water and it was the perfect thickness and added depth to the sauce. Also, halved mozzerella and it was plenty.
pamela
please. add italian sausage. then, it's perfect
CHM
Excellent. I made the tomato sauce with fresh tomatoes, which took longer to simmer to finished but was well worth it.
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