Simple Baked Ziti (Freezer Friendly)

This easy pasta recipe has just six ingredients, and you’ll need minimal equipment. It’s hearty, comforting, a crowd-pleaser, and also kid-friendly!

If you can make spaghetti, then you can make Simple Baked Ziti! It’s great for serving a crowd, it’s inexpensive to make, and kids and adults of all ages love it.

The dish can be made in one 13×9 inch pan, or it can be divided into 2 (8-inch) square pans. The latter is particularly helpful if you’d like to freeze half of the recipe for a later date.

Ingredients

You just need 6 ingredients to make this easy pasta dish.

• 1 lb of short pasta (I used rigatoni because it has ridges for the sauce to stick to)
• Ricotta cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese (replace the ricotta with more mozzarella if you don’t have ricotta)
• Marinara sauce—use your favorite brand
• Uncooked Italian sausage can be purchased at the butcher counter of your local grocery store. You can purchase in the casing or bulk (without casing).
• Fresh basil adds fresh flavor and color to the finished dish.

How to make baked ziti

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 lb of dried pasta and cook according to package directions. I used rigatoni, which has ridges for the pasta sauce to stick to!

Meanwhile, cook 1 lb of Italian sausage in a large skillet until cooked through. Stir in the marinara sauce and whisk in the ricotta. Then, stir in the cooked pasta.

Transfer half of the pasta to a 13×9 inch baking dish. Top with mozzarella cheese, the rest of the pasta, and more mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until hot and the cheese has melted.

How to freeze baked ziti

Choose a freezer-safe dish, such as a glass, metal, or foil pan. Pour the cooked baked ziti into the pan and sprinkle with cheese. Then, cover the pan with a layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil.

The dish can be safely stored in the freezer for up to two months. I recommend taping a date and reheating instructions to the foil.

How to reheat frozen baked ziti

Defrost the dish overnight in the refrigerator, then remove the plastic wrap and replace the foil.

Bake in a 350°F oven for 30–40 minutes, taking the foil off for the last 10 minutes of cooking.

If cooking from frozen, remove the plastic wrap and replace the foil. Bake from frozen for 50–60 minutes, taking the foil off for the last 10 minutes of cooking.

FAQs

Can I freeze baked ziti?
Baked ziti can be frozen in a freezer-safe dish for up to 2 months. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and foil, then store in the freezer. To reheat, remove the plastic wrap and replace the foil. Bake for 50 minutes at 350°F.

Can I make baked ziti without ricotta cheese?
You can replace ricotta cheese with an equal amount of shredded mozzarella cheese.

What should I serve with baked ziti?
Garlic bread and salad are great accompaniments to pasta. Here are a two salads that I love:
Church Lady Salad
Italian Chopped Salad

If you make this recipe, please leave me a comment below, or tag me on Instagram or Pinterest. I love hearing from you!

Simple Baked Ziti (Freezer Friendly)

Kate Shungu

This dish is commonly known as baked ziti, but I used rigatoni because it has ridges to catch all of that delicious sauce! Most short pastas will work here, including rigatoni, ziti, or penne.

4.8 from 5 votes

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Total Time 50 mins

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6 servings

Calories 481 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 lb short pasta like ziti, penne, or rigatoni (I used rigatoni)
• 4 cups marinara sauce (this is about 1½ 24-oz jars)
• 1 lb uncooked Italian sausage (mild or hot)
• 2½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• For garnish just before serving: fresh basil

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package directions.
• Meanwhile, remove the casings from the sausage and place in a sauté pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring to break up the sausage, until the sausage is no longer pink. Drain the grease out of the pan.
• Add the marinara sauce to the pan with the sausage and stir to combine. Gently whisk in the ricotta cheese without fully incorporating it into the sauce, leaving some pockets of cheese. Add the pasta and stir gently to combine.
• Pour half the pasta mixture into a 9x13 inch pan OR 2 (8-inch) pans. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Top with the remaining pasta, followed by the remainder of the cheese.
• Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the filling is bubbly.

Notes

Freezer instructions:

If freezing any portion of this dish, proceed through step #4. Then cover the dish with plastic wrap and top the plastic wrap with aluminum foil. Label the dish with the contents and today’s date. When ready to serve, defrost the dish overnight in the refrigerator, remove the plastic wrap and replace the foil. Bake for 30–40 minutes, taking the foil off for the last 10 minutes of cooking. If cooking from frozen, remove the plastic wrap and replace the foil. Bake from frozen for 50–60 minutes, taking the foil off for the last 10 minutes of cooking. The Simple Baked Ziti can be frozen for up to a month.

Nutrition

Calories: 481kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 29gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 112mgSodium: 1664mgPotassium: 807mgFiber: 2gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1262IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 349mgIron: 3mg

Keyword be a blessing series, pasta

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