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Getting a hearty, home-cooked dinner on the table during busy weeknights can feel like mission impossible. Between after-school activities, work deadlines, and the general chaos of family life, spending hours in the kitchen just isn’t realistic – and let’s be honest, takeout gets old fast.
That’s why this no boil baked ziti has become my family’s go-to dinner solution: it’s incredibly easy to put together, skips the whole pasta-boiling step, and still delivers that comforting, Italian-inspired taste we all love. Plus, it’s perfect for those nights when you need something that can basically cook itself while you tackle everything else on your plate.
Why You’ll Love This Baked Ziti
- No-boil convenience – Skip the pasta pre-cooking step – just layer everything in your baking dish and let the oven do all the work. It’s perfect for busy weeknights when you don’t want to wash extra pots.
- 5-ingredient simplicity – With just pasta, sauce, and three types of cheese, this recipe proves that delicious doesn’t have to be complicated.
- Budget-friendly – Using basic pantry staples and common cheese varieties, this meal is easy on your wallet while still delivering that classic Italian comfort food experience.
- Make-ahead friendly – You can assemble this dish earlier in the day and pop it in the oven when you’re ready to eat, making it perfect for meal prep or entertaining.
What Kind of Pasta Should I Use?
While this recipe calls for ziti, you’ve got plenty of options when it comes to choosing your pasta shape. Ziti and penne are both tubular pastas that work great for catching sauce and cheese in their hollow centers, making them perfect for baked pasta dishes. Regular ziti has smooth sides while penne has ridges, but both will give you similar results in this recipe. If you can’t find either of these, you can substitute with rigatoni (which is like a wider ziti) or even mostaccioli – just look for a medium-sized tube pasta that will hold up well during baking. When shopping, go for a good quality pasta that’s made from durum wheat semolina, as it’ll keep its shape better and won’t turn mushy while baking.
Options for Substitutions
This easy baked pasta dish is pretty adaptable – here’s what you can swap if needed:
- Ziti or penne pasta: Any medium-sized tube pasta works great here – try rigatoni, mostaccioli, or even rotini. The key is choosing a pasta that can hold the sauce well.
- Marinara sauce: Feel free to use any tomato-based pasta sauce you have on hand. Arrabbiata adds some heat, or a four-cheese sauce works for extra richness. You can also use crushed tomatoes mixed with Italian herbs in a pinch.
- Fresh mozzarella: Regular shredded mozzarella works just fine here. If you’re out of mozzarella completely, provolone or fontina make good substitutes since they melt well.
- Ricotta cheese: If you don’t have ricotta, you can blend cottage cheese until smooth as a substitute. For a different twist, mascarpone works too, though it will make the dish richer.
- Parmesan cheese: Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano are great alternatives. If you don’t have any hard Italian cheese, you can skip it, though you might want to add a pinch more salt to the dish.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking
The biggest mistake when making no-boil baked ziti is using too little sauce – since the uncooked pasta needs liquid to soften properly, make sure to use the full amount of marinara and spread it evenly throughout the dish. Another common error is lifting the foil during baking, which releases the steam needed to cook the pasta – keep it tightly covered for at least the first 45 minutes of baking time. For the creamiest results, don’t skip bringing your ricotta to room temperature before mixing, as cold cheese won’t spread as smoothly and can create uneven patches in your casserole. To get that perfect golden-brown top without burning, remove the foil during just the last 10-15 minutes of baking, and let the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to thicken and settle.
What to Serve With Baked Ziti?
This cozy pasta dish calls for some simple but tasty sides to round out your meal. A basic green salad with Italian dressing is my go-to choice – the fresh, crisp lettuce provides a nice contrast to the warm, cheesy pasta. Garlic bread is another natural pairing that’s perfect for soaking up any extra sauce (and let’s be honest, there’s no such thing as too much garlic bread!). If you want to add some vegetables, roasted broccoli or sautéed zucchini work really well with the Italian flavors in this dish, and they’re easy enough to pop in the oven while your ziti is baking.
Storage Instructions
Keep Fresh: This baked ziti is perfect for leftovers! Place it in an airtight container and pop it in the fridge – it’ll stay good for up to 4 days. The pasta might absorb more sauce as it sits, but that just means more flavor in every bite!
Freeze: Want to save some for later? Let the ziti cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container. It’ll keep well for up to 3 months. You can even portion it out into individual servings – super handy for quick meals!
Warm Up: When you’re ready to eat your leftover ziti, cover it with foil and pop it in the oven at 350°F for about 20 minutes, or until heated through. For single servings, the microwave works great too – just heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between. If it seems a bit dry, splash in a little marinara sauce to bring back that saucy goodness.
| Preparation Time | 10-15 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 55-60 minutes |
| Total Time | 65-75 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 1500-1700
- Protein: 60-70 g
- Fat: 70-80 g
- Carbohydrates: 150-170 g
Ingredients
- 8 ounces ziti or penne pasta
- 1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, ripped into pieces (or roughly 1 cup if shredded)
- 8 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 ounce grated parmesan cheese
Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Baking Dish
Begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).
While the oven is warming up, take an 8×8-inch casserole dish and spray it with non-stick spray to prevent sticking.
Additionally, spray a sheet of aluminum foil with non-stick spray and set it aside for later use.
Step 2: Assemble the Pasta and Sauce
In the prepared casserole dish, combine your chosen pasta and sauce.
Stir thoroughly to ensure that the pasta is completely submerged in the sauce.
This step is crucial for the pasta to cook evenly.
Step 3: Add Cheeses
Stir in half of the mozzarella cheese into the pasta and sauce mixture.
Once mixed, dollop the ricotta cheese all over the surface of the pasta.
Finally, sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese along with Parmesan cheese evenly on top of the dish.
Step 4: Cover and Bake
Cover the casserole dish tightly with the prepared aluminum foil, ensuring the non-stick sprayed side is facing the cheese.
Place the dish in the preheated oven.
If you’re using regular pasta, bake for 45 minutes.
For chickpea pasta, reduce the initial baking time to 30 minutes.
Step 5: Uncover and Finish Baking
After the initial baking period, remove the aluminum foil.
Continue to bake the dish uncovered for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the pasta reaches an al dente texture.
For chickpea pasta, this final step should take about 5-10 minutes.
The cheese should be melted and bubbly.
Step 6: Serve and Enjoy
Once baked to perfection, remove the casserole dish from the oven, taking care to avoid burns.
Allow it to cool slightly before serving your delicious cheesy pasta to family or guests.
Enjoy!
