As you can already tell from the picture, this is not “true” cheesy baked ziti. I didn’t have ziti noodles in the pantry. All I had was a garden rotini version, and I figured it would suffice. Clearly, I am not Italian. Can you forgive me for this travesty?
But if I tell you that this is the cheesiest, meatiest, most decadent Italian meal that can fit in a casserole dish, will you forgive me? It really doesn’t matter what kind of noodles you use in this baked ziti because it comes out amazing every time. And it freezes well, too!
How to Make the Best Baked Ziti
Creating a cheesy baked ziti is easier than you might think! With just a few simple steps, you’ll have a hearty and delicious dish perfect for any occasion.
Step 1: Make Meat Sauce
Cheesy baked ziti is a classic baked pasta dish, and for that, you will need an amazing sauce! If you are a vegetarian, you can use your favorite marinara recipe. If you’re a dump-and-go kind of cook, just pick your favorite jarred sauce and add ground beef or turkey.
But for those of you who really want to go the extra mile and make a meat sauce that will melt in your mouth and leave you begging for another bite, I highly recommend my recipe for Crockpot bolognese sauce. It is made with merlot, fresh spices, and canned tomatoes. It simmers all day, making your house smell like an Italian restaurant.
However, for this cheesy baked ziti recipe, you can make it on the stovetop and skip the slow cooker. It will still taste grand. Whatever you decide to do, you need about 32 oz (or 4 cups) of sauce.
Just a side note, I usually make a double batch of my Crockpot bolognese sauce. I use one portion of spaghetti for dinner, and then I freeze the second portion for another night for a recipe such as this. I call them 2-for-1ers. It makes my life so much easier. 🙂
Step 2: Blend the Cheeses
You’ll need a large bowl to mix together a 15-oz container of ricotta cheese and 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese. To that, add 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan, 1 egg, and 2 tablespoons of fresh minced parsley. Sprinkle in a teaspoon each of Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix it all together so that everything is thoroughly combined.
Step 3: Prepare the Pasta
Like I said before, you don’t have to have ziti noodles to make cheesy baked ziti. I had garden rotini noodles on hand, and those worked great! However, short noodles work best. This wouldn’t work out so well with spaghetti or linguine noodles, lol! 🙂 Simply prepare a pound of whatever pasta you have according to the package instructions. Drain the noodles and place them in a large bowl with 3 cups of the sauce you prepared in step 1. Mix everything together.
Step 4: Assemble the Cheesy Baked Ziti
Combine the noodle mixture with the cheese mixture and stir everything together. Don’t worry if there are large chunks of the cheese mixture. Those turn out to be the most decadent bites! Pour the cheesy baked ziti into a large casserole dish and flatten the top a bit with a spatula.
Pour your remaining 1 cup of sauce on top of the noodles and sprinkle on the last 1/2 cup of mozzarella. Sprinkle on any remaining parsley for a pretty garnish. At this point, you can put it straight into a 375-degree oven and bake it for 25-30 minutes, or you can cover it with foil and label it for the freezer.
Pull out the cheesy baked ziti and let it cool for a few minutes before you serve it.
Reheating Instructions for Frozen Cheesy Baked Ziti
If you are reheating the cheesy baked ziti from the freezer, you have 2 options:
- Put the frozen cheesy baked ziti (with the foil top) into a 350-degree oven for an hour and forty-five minutes. Then remove the foil and bake it for 20 minutes more or until the casserole is bubbly.
- Thaw the cheesy baked ziti overnight in the refrigerator and bake it at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
A Versatile Dish for Any Occasion
See how easy that was! You could add a green salad with Italian basil dressing and have a complete meal. What an awesome dish this would be for a mommy with a new baby, a friend recovering from surgery, or a new neighbor! Or maybe you want to have a cooking weekend to stock up your freezer for busier times of the month. Either way, cheesy baked ziti is a versatile, easy, and scrumptious dish! You won’t be sorry you made it!
If you need some other freezer meal suggestions, I have a bunch on my recipe index. But I’ll tell you right now that my favorites are my spicy chicken enchiladas, spinach manicotti, and burrito lasagna.
And if you only have time to make one, go with the enchiladas. Frankly, they’re unbelievable. If this freckled redhead can make them taste nearly authentic, then so can you! There are even more ideas on my Freezer Meals Board on Pinterest. Happy cooking, y’all!
