Three Cheese Baked Ziti
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Three cheese baked ziti, with ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan cheese, is an easy 6 ingredient, 29 minute meal that is sure to become a weeknight family favorite!
This three cheese baked ziti recipe was inspired by my favorite pizza at Jimmy and Joe’s Pizzeria in Phoenix. I always order it topped with dollops of ricotta cheese and it adds this amazing layer of creaminess to the pizza.
I’ve recreated that ricotta magic on these Garlic Bread Nachos and now on top of this baked ziti recipe!
How to make it
To make this baked ziti vegetarian recipe, just toss cooked ziti pasta with your favorite spaghetti sauce, then top it with mozzarella, parmesan, ricotta cheese and a sprinkle of Italian seasoning. Pop it in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
If you can’t find ziti noodles at your grocery store, penne pasta is a great second option.
If you want to add meat to the dish, toss cooked and crumbled Italian seasoned ground beef or Italian sausage to the pasta and sauce, then top with the cheese and bake as instructed.
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need to cover baked ziti? For this recipe, I do not recommending covering the baked ziti. This way, the three cheeses are under the direct heat and melt nicely over the dish in just 15 minutes.
- How do you reheat baked ziti? When reheating the pasta, I do recommending cover the dish with foil. Pop it back into a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes. This should reheat the dish throughout without drying it out.
- Can baked ziti be prepared ahead of time? Absolutely! Cook the noodles, toss them with the sauce in a casserole dish, sprinkle the cheese on top, cover with foil and place into the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Because the dish will be cold coming straight from the fridge to the oven, you’ll want to add an extra 10 minutes to the cooking time at the beginning and you’ll want to cover the baked ziti with foil during that time, then remove the foil for the last 15 minutes of cooking.
More 29 minute meals
Looking for more easy Italian “29 Minute Meals”? Check out these 5 favorites!
- One Pot Shrimp Piccata Pasta
- Easy Italian Shrimp & Polenta
- One Pot Ravioli with Creamy Pesto Sauce & Sausage
- Roasted Red Pepper Turkey Bolognese
- Bruschetta Chicken Parmesan
Tools & pantry items for this recipe
- Casserole Dish: 9″x13″ (I use this one all the time at home because it comes with a lid for easy refrigerator storage!)
- Covered Stockpot with Locking Straining Lid
- Ziti Pasta
- Italian Seasoning
Three Cheese Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz package ziti pasta
- 4 cups spaghetti sauce, click link for homemade 29 minute spaghetti sauce recipe!
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, finely shredded
- 8 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ziti and cook for 9 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Toss the ziti with the spaghetti sauce. Place in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Top with the mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Dollop the ricotta on top. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning over the dish.
- Place in the oven and bake uncovered for 15 minutes.
Video
Nutrition Facts
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8 Comments on “Three Cheese Baked Ziti”
Can the ziti leftover be reheated in the microwave?
Yes, you’ll want to reheat individual portions in a microwave safe bowl for 2-3 minutes. Enjoy!
Leave out Italian season?
Can the ziti be reheat in the microwave?
Can you leave out the season in the pasta?
I would not leave the seasoning out. If you can’t find an Italian seasoning blend, you can just use a combination of dried Thyme, Rosemary, Oregano and Basil
What is Italian season?
It’s a combination of Marjoram, Thyme, Rosemary, Savory, Sage, Oregano and Basil, here’s one that I’ve used in the past: https://amzn.to/2LBvWeA