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A pan of baked ziti with browned cheese
Baking Casseroles and Enchiladas

Baked ziti

Prep 20 min Cook 45 min Total 1 hr 5 min Servings 8

By Lukasz Jagiello

Published Oct 11, 2026 · Updated Oct 11, 2026

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About this recipe

I only post recipes that I have tried and verified and are good to my taste — all taste may vary.

Undercooking the pasta by two minutes leaves room for the oven. Fully boiled ziti turns to mush once the cheese melts.

Ingredients

Method

  1. 01

    Heat the oven to 375°F. Boil the ziti 2 minutes short of the package time. Drain.

  2. 02

    Brown the beef with the onion in the oil. Add garlic and salt and cook 1 minute. Stir in the marinara and simmer 5 minutes.

  3. 03

    Mix ricotta, egg, Parmesan, and parsley. Fold the pasta and the meat sauce together, then fold in the ricotta mixture.

  4. 04

    Spread it in a 9-by-13-inch dish. Top with mozzarella. Bake until bubbling and spotted brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Rest 10 minutes.

Notes & swaps

  • Skip the beef for a cheese ziti. Add a pinch more salt to the sauce.
  • Cover leftovers and reheat, covered, at 350°F until the center is 165°F.

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