Thursday, October 29, 2026 · Week 44This week's 50, picked by our editorsAll recipes · Archive
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The Weekly Edition: fifty dishes our editors picked for this week, with our own easy recipe for each
This week / Weeknight / No. 8
Baked Ziti
8THIS WEEK
Photo: Wikimedia Commons · credit
Weeknight

Baked Ziti

Ziti tossed with a meaty tomato sauce and pockets of ricotta, then baked under mozzarella until the top is brown and bubbling.

Prep20 min
Cook35 min
Total55 min
Serves8

What you'll need

9x13 glass baking dishFor casseroles and bakes
Amazon
Enameled cast-iron Dutch ovenFor soups, stews and braises
AmazonWalmart

Store links go to the same item at each retailer, checked October 29, 2026. Want to compare? See the Top 50 Kitchen gear rankings.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ziti
  • 1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce
  • 1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 15 oz whole-milk ricotta
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, divided
  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
  • salt and black pepper

Steps

  1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Cook the ziti in salted water for 2 minutes less than the package says. Drain.
  2. In the same pot, brown the beef with the onion, breaking it up, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic for 1 minute, then the marinara, crushed tomatoes and oregano. Simmer 5 minutes and season.
  3. Stir the ricotta, egg and 1/4 cup Parmesan together.
  4. Toss the pasta with the sauce. Spread half in a 9x13 dish, dollop the ricotta mixture over it and sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella.
  5. Top with the rest of the pasta, then the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
  6. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes more, until browned at the edges. Rest 10 minutes before serving.

TipAssemble a day ahead, refrigerate, and add 10 minutes to the covered baking time.