5-Ingredient Baked Ziti for Family Dinner
By Beth Kaminski ·
This baked ziti turns five supermarket ingredients into a generous pan of saucy pasta with a golden cheese topping. Ricotta adds creamy pockets without an egg mixture, and jarred marinara keeps the prep manageable. Serve it for family dinner, then save the leftovers for lunch.
Why This Five-Ingredient Ziti Works
Marinara, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, and pasta each do a different job here. The sauce keeps the noodles moist, ricotta adds creamy pockets, mozzarella melts across the top, and Parmesan brings a little extra saltiness. There is no need for eggs or a separate cheese sauce. Choose a marinara you already enjoy, since it supplies most of the seasoning.
Four cups of sauce may look generous, but the pasta continues absorbing moisture in the oven. Cooking the ziti slightly short of al dente helps it hold its shape through baking. Covering the pan for the first part of the bake protects the surface from drying out before the middle is hot.
Practical Tips and Substitutions
- Use a deep enough dish. A 9-by-13-inch baking dish with a capacity of about 3 quarts gives the pasta room without crowding the cheese against the foil.
- Swap the pasta shape. Penne or rigatoni can replace ziti by weight. Follow the package timing, stopping two minutes short of al dente.
- Choose your mozzarella. Low-moisture mozzarella gives a more consistent topping than fresh mozzarella, which can release extra liquid. Pre-shredded cheese works, though freshly shredded cheese usually melts more evenly.
- Check the sauce quantity. Many jars contain only 24 ounces. You need 32 ounces total, so buy enough rather than stretching one smaller jar.
Make-Ahead and Leftover Care
Assemble the casserole up to 24 hours ahead, cover, and refrigerate promptly. For a cold casserole, allow approximately 35–45 minutes covered at 375°F before uncovering for the final 10–15 minutes. The center should reach 165°F. Follow your baking dish manufacturer's guidance about moving a cold dish into a hot oven.
Refrigerate leftovers in shallow, airtight containers within two hours and use within 3–4 days. Reheat individual portions covered in the microwave with a spoonful of water, stirring partway through, until they reach 165°F. Freeze cooled portions for up to three months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I leave out the ricotta?
Small-curd cottage cheese is a practical substitute in the same amount. Drain any obvious excess liquid first. The filling will have a slightly different texture.
Do I need to salt the pasta water?
This five-ingredient version does not require added salt. The marinara and cheeses provide seasoning, so choose a sauce with a flavor you like.
How can I tell when the middle is hot?
Look for bubbling sauce around the edges and check the center with an instant-read thermometer. It should register 165°F, especially when baking an assembled, refrigerated casserole.
Why let it rest before serving?
A ten-minute rest lets the sauce settle and the cheese firm up slightly. The portions will still be soft and scoopable, but less likely to slide apart.
Recipe
5-Ingredient Baked Ziti for Family Dinner
By Beth Kaminski · Italian-American
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 hr
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
- 16 oz dry ziti pasta
- 32 oz marinara sauce (about 4 cups), divided
- 15 oz whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese (about 8 ounces), divided
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Method
- 1
Preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the middle position.
- 2
Spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce across the bottom of an ungreased 9-by-13-inch, approximately 3-quart baking dish.
- 3
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the ziti for 2 minutes less than the package's al dente time, usually 8–10 minutes; the noodles should bend but remain firm in the center.
- 4
Drain the pasta thoroughly and return it to the pot off the heat.
- 5
Stir the remaining 3 1/2 cups marinara, 1 cup mozzarella, and 1/4 cup Parmesan into the pasta until evenly coated.
- 6
Spread half the pasta mixture in the prepared dish, then distribute the ricotta over it in tablespoon-sized dollops.
- 7
Cover the ricotta with the remaining pasta mixture, spreading it into an even layer.
- 8
Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan evenly over the top.
- 9
Tent the dish with foil so it does not touch the cheese, seal around the rim, and bake for 20 minutes.
- 10
Remove the foil and bake for another 10–15 minutes, until the sauce bubbles around the edges, the cheese has light golden spots, and the center reaches 165°F.
- 11
Let the baked ziti rest for 10 minutes before scooping into portions.
Bring the baking dish to the table after its short rest and scoop out generous portions. A green salad or steamed vegetables make a useful contrast to the cheesy pasta.
