Baked Ziti Recipe! This baked ziti recipe is easy to make, super cheesy, and comforting. It’s perfect for eating on a cold winter day to warm you up! Flavorful, delicious and so easy to make! This is adapted from All Recipes and actually, any short pasta will work!
Friends! Happy New Year! This is my first official post for 2025. How has the New Year been treating you? We kicked off the new year with a day at the movies with the family. I can’t remember the last time we watched a movie in the theater. I really love watching movies now in the comfort of my own home but we watched Wicked and this movie was meant to be seen on the big screen. It was fabulous and I can’t wait for Part 2. Even my husband enjoyed it.
First Snow Day of the Year
It’s only January 6 and we already have our first snow day. No school for the kids today. It’s freezing outside . . 24 degrees outside and we got a few inches of snow. The snow storm was much more mild than we thought .. I know other parts of the country got a lot more snow so I hope everyone stays in, is warm and safe! The house was quiet and that’s the perfect time for me to bake and cook!
Baked Ziti Recipe
This recipe calls for 2 jars of your favorite marinara sauce. I used Rao’s and a new sauce that was sent to me: Sauz. I used their Hot Honey Marinara and I absolutely loved it! High recommend! Also, I thought we had ziti pasta but all we had was Cellentani, which is like cavatappi pasta. . like I said above, this really works with any short pasta. Enjoy!!
Baked Ziti Recipe
Equipment
- 9x13-inch baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ziti pasta or penne, rigatoni or cellentani pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 (26 oz.) jars marinara sauce*
- 6 oz. provoline cheese slices
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 8 oz. mozzarella cheese shredded + more if needed (split)
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 to 9 minutes (depending on what pasta you are using); drain and set aside. Your pasta will cook more in the oven so you definitely want your pasta al dente or even 1 minute under al dente.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until all browned. Add the onions and cook for a few minutes or until tender. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning and stir together. Let cook for another minute or so. Stir in marinara sauce, mix well and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Prep Baked Ziti: into your baking dish: Spread half of the cooked pasta in the bottom of the prepared dish. Top with the provolone cheese slices. Top with cottage cheese and spread evenly over the top.
- Add half of the meat sauce, remaining cooked pasta, 6 oz. of mozzarella cheese, and all the remaining meat sauce. Top with the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese and the grated Parmesan cheese.
- Bake until heated through and cheeses have melted, for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and enjoy!
Notes
This is adapted from All Recipes and actually, any short pasta will work!
What are your thoughts on freezing this? Freeze before the baking stage? Defrost before cooking or straight from frozen? I’m planning to give to new parents. Thank you!
Hi Jamie, yes, can absolutely freeze. However, you should bake as instructed first. So, bake according to recipe instructions, let the dish cool completely, then cover with a double layer of foil to prevent freezer burn. The ziti can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. To cook from frozen, place the covered ziti in a 350 degree F oven and cook for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the foil and cook until bubbling and the cheese is melted and slightly browned in places, an additional 10 to 15 minutes if needed.
Made this exactly as written. Was delicious however if you don’t like spicy you probably should substitute a milder sauce for the hot honey sauce. Loved the hot honey sauce though.
Hi, yes, I think it’s best with a little heat . . but yes, you are right!