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A plated serving of freezer-friendly cheesy baked ziti garnished with herbs, with the casserole dish in the background.

Freezer-Friendly Cheesy Baked Ziti

A make-ahead cheesy baked ziti with 4 cups of meat sauce (homemade bolognese or jarred), a ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese blend and a pound of short pasta. Bake now or freeze for later; reheating instructions included.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 32 oz meat sauce 4 cups; crockpot bolognese, or jarred sauce with ground beef or turkey, or marinara
  • 15 oz ricotta cheese
  • 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley minced, plus more for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound ziti or other short pasta rotini, penne

Method
 

  1. Make or warm 4 cups of meat sauce.
  2. In a large bowl, mix the ricotta, 2 cups of the mozzarella, the Parmesan, egg, parsley, salt and pepper until combined.
  3. Cook the pasta according to the package, drain, and toss in a large bowl with 3 cups of the sauce.
  4. Stir the cheese mixture into the pasta (chunks of cheese are fine). Pour into a large casserole dish and level the top.
  5. Spread the remaining 1 cup of sauce over the top, sprinkle on the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and a little parsley.
  6. Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes, or cover with foil, label and freeze. Let cool a few minutes before serving.

Notes

From frozen: bake covered at 350°F for 1 hour 45 minutes, uncover and bake 20 minutes more until bubbly. Or thaw overnight in the fridge and bake at 375°F for 30 minutes.