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Easy baked ziti with ricotta and melted mozzarella

Easy Baked Ziti with Ricotta (Cheesy Weeknight Dinner)

If there's one dish that guarantees empty plates and happy faces, it's easy baked ziti with ricotta. Tender ziti pasta is tossed with marinara and a creamy ricotta mixture, piled into a baking dish, blanketed with mozzarella, and baked until bubbly and golden. It's the ultimate cheesy weeknight dinner — comforting, crowd-pleasing, and on the table in about 45 minutes with minimal hands-on work.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb ziti pasta (or penne)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 lb Italian sausage (sweet or hot), casings removed — or ground beef
  • 1 jar marinara sauce (24 oz)
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for pasta water
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 container whole-milk ricotta cheese (15 oz)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese divided
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley plus more for garnish
  • 3 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese divided

Method
 

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  2. Cook the pasta: Cook the ziti 2 minutes less than the package directions (it will finish in the oven). Drain and set aside.
  3. Brown the sausage: Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook 3 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and sausage; cook, breaking it up, until browned, about 6-8 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
  4. Make the sauce: Stir the marinara, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper into the sausage. Simmer 5 minutes.
  5. Mix the ricotta: In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, 1/4 cup parmesan, basil or parsley, and 1 cup of the mozzarella until smooth. The egg is the secret — it keeps the ricotta creamy, not grainy, as it bakes.
  6. Assemble: Spread 1 cup of sauce in the baking dish. Add half the pasta, dollop with half the ricotta mixture, and sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat with remaining pasta, ricotta, and 1 more cup mozzarella. Spoon the remaining sauce over the top and finish with the last cup of mozzarella and 1/4 cup parmesan.
  7. Bake: Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes more, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden.
  8. Rest and serve: Let the ziti rest 10 minutes (this helps it set for cleaner servings). Garnish with fresh basil and serve.
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