Baked Ziti with Ragu, Ricotta and Mozzarella
Penne baked with meaty ragu, tomato sauce, creamy ricotta and a bubbling mozzarella top, a proper crowd pleaser.
Made with Basic tomato sauce and Slow cooked ragu. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time55 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.18 a head
- Oven200°C (180°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Boil the penne in a large pan of salted water for 2 minutes less than the packet says, so it is still firm. Drain.
8 min - 2
Warm your ready made ragu (see the base recipe) and tomato sauce (see the base recipe) together in a large pan, stirring, for 5 minutes until loose and hot.
5 min - 3
Stir the drained pasta into the sauce. Mix the ricotta with half the Parmesan and the oregano.
- 4
Spoon half the pasta mixture into a large baking dish. Dot with half the ricotta, then add the rest of the pasta and the remaining ricotta.
- 5
Scatter over the mozzarella and the rest of the Parmesan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is golden and the edges bubble, and the middle is steaming hot all the way through.
27 min 30 s - 6
Leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Tips
- Undercook the pasta by a couple of minutes. It keeps absorbing sauce in the oven and will be perfect, not mushy.
- Add a splash of pasta water if the sauce looks very thick before baking. The bake should be saucy, not dry.
- Ziti is rarely sold in the UK. Penne or rigatoni are the best swaps.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 90 minutes and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze portions for up to 3 months. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through, and only once.
Questions
Can I use another pasta shape?
Yes. Penne is the classic stand in for ziti. Rigatoni, fusilli and macaroni all work. Use short, sturdy shapes with tubes or ridges to hold the sauce.
Can I skip the ricotta?
Yes. Use extra mozzarella or a little more tomato sauce. The ricotta adds creamy pockets, but the bake is still delicious without it.
Is this the same as an Italian pasta al forno?
It is the Italian American take. Baked ziti is a classic of Italian American cooking, built around tomato sauce, ricotta and mozzarella, while pasta al forno in Italy varies by region.
More made with basic tomato sauce
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
