When the mercury drops, we make baked pasta dishes on repeat for cozy Sunday suppers. If you’re new to cooking these large-format classics, learning how to make baked ziti is a good place to start. It’s simpler and more forgiving than lasagna but still delivers comforting bites full of pulls of mozzarella and those much coveted crunchy corners.
This baked ziti recipe is designed to stay saucy. While many call for ricotta, it has a tendency to get dry and grainy when baked, so we’ve swapped it for a creamy Parmesan béchamel. And in place of meatballs, ground turkey, or Italian sausage, we prefer a bit of pancetta, which adds a salty and porky hit to homemade tomato sauce without distracting from the overall composition.
Despite this recipe’s name, ziti pasta isn’t mandatory. Any short, tube shape (like rigatoni, paccheri, or penne pasta) will do. Just be sure to cook it in a large pot of salted water until it is shy of al dente, since it will continue to cook in the oven. Finally, don’t skip out on broiling the whole baked ziti before serving, it’s key to a perfectly browned top.
Like many baked pasta recipes, this one is hearty enough that it needs little accompaniment at the table beyond a big green salad (try this one with an Italian seasoning–inspired dressing) or some fresh veggies, and perhaps some garlic bread. Refrigerate the leftovers and enjoy them all week long.
Recipe information
Total Time
1 hour 10 minutes
Yield
6 Servings
Ingredients
2
2
2¼
2½
¼
1
1
4
½
2
1
¼
1
1
Preparation
Step 1
Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium until foamy. Sprinkle flour over and cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in warm milk. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, whisking often, until béchamel is thickened to about the consistency of heavy cream and no longer feels grainy when rubbed between your fingers, 8–10 minutes (thoroughly cooking the mixture ensures a creamy sauce and eliminates any raw flour flavor). Remove from heat and add 2 cups Parmesan, whisking until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Set aside.
Step 2
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high. Cook pancetta, stirring often, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until onion is golden and soft, 8–10 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until slightly darkened, about 2 minutes.
Step 3
Add whole peeled tomatoes, crushing with your hands as you go, and season with salt and pepper. Bring sauce to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until slightly reduced and flavors have melded, 20–25 minutes. Let cool slightly, then transfer to a blender; pulse until mostly smooth (or use an immersion blender and purée directly in pot). Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper.
Step 4
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 5 minutes (the pasta will continue to cook in the oven); drain.
Step 5
Transfer reserved béchamel to a large bowl; add pasta and mozzarella and toss to combine. Add all but 1 cup tomato sauce and gently fold mixture a few times, leaving streaks of béchamel.
Step 6
Transfer pasta mixture to a 13x9-inch or other 3-quart baking dish, dollop with remaining tomato sauce, and scatter remaining Parmesan over pasta. Bake until mozzarella is melted and sauce is bubbling around the edges, 15–20 minutes.
Step 7
Heat broiler. Broil until pasta and cheese are dark brown in spots, about 4 minutes. Let pasta sit 5 minutes before serving.
Editor’s note: This recipe was originally published in March 2015 as part of BA’s Best, a collection of our essential recipes. For more of our favorite casserole recipes, head this way →
Leave a Review
Reviews (456)
Back to TopThis is delicious! Even withouth the basil, which I did not have (and my kid doesn't like anyway). Best ziti recipe I have found yet. You can use jarred sauce and you can skip the pancetta, to make it easier for weeknight dinner, and it's still really really good.
espirer
new york
11/1/2017
Sometimes, it really is the small things that make all the difference in the world. This recipe is stratospheric! The key takeaways are: make cheese sauce and make marinara separately. Don't be tempted to skip on those steps. Next, don't mix the pasta sauces with the pasta too much--the swirls of sauces left unmixed are delightful! You don't need much as far as a protein add-in. No need for pancetta--use what you have on hand, but keep it minimal. I used a handful of chopped up leftover charcuterie from a prior pizza-making adventure--and it worked beautifully. Any add-ins--artichokes, chopped kalamatas, zucchini, etc.--should be added to the pasta BEFORE adding the sauce (to maintain the sauce swirls, as noted above). Lastly, the topping with the last bit of sauce and a layer of parmesan--then BROILING just a few minutes to get a light crust--well, that's the pièce de résistance! Our family practically fought over the crusty bits on top. Heavenly, doable. Great the next day. Will never go back to one-sauce baked pasta!
Anonymous
SoCal
3/21/2018
Wow. This ziti gives me heart eyes. This recipe is an instant classic with its simple ingredients, and it is so delicious.
Emily T
Washington, DC
9/28/2018
This was absolutely delicious! Extremely heavy so couldn’t eat too much of it. Will definitely make again but will have plenty of salad to go with it!
Anonymous
Dallas
10/28/2019
What can I say except “hell yeah”?! Took a little while to make, but that’s probably only because I had just made an intense chocolate cake and was a little tired.
Anonymous
Fresno, CA
12/24/2019
The best ziti recipe I’ve ever tasted! Yes it is time consuming but it is so worth the effort. My kids are so picky and this is the first home cooked meal that Incan recall all of us eating as a family. I made it as written except I didn’t use the cup of reserved sauce on top because it seemed too saucy and I’m glad that I didn’t because it was perfect after it was baked
Anonymous
NC
12/27/2019
So I’m the only one who ended up making a soupy-cheesy dish? It was tasty but obviously way too much sauce. Not sure where I went wrong!
Anonymous
NYC
1/26/2020