Freezer Make-Ahead Baked Ziti (Printable)

Comforting pasta bake with ziti, tomato sauce, ricotta, and mozzarella. Freeze for later.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 pound ziti or penne pasta

→ Sauce

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 pound Italian sausage or ground beef, optional
06 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
07 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
08 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
09 - 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
10 - 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
11 - 1 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - 1 teaspoon sugar

→ Cheese Mixture

14 - 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
15 - 1 large egg
16 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
17 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. If freezing, use a disposable or freezer-safe 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Cook ziti in a large pot of salted boiling water until just barely al dente, approximately 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and toss lightly with olive oil to prevent sticking.
03 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook 1 minute more.
04 - If using meat, add Italian sausage or ground beef to the skillet. Cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat if needed.
05 - Stir in oregano, basil, red pepper flakes if desired, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, pepper, and sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
06 - In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, egg, Parmesan, and 1 cup mozzarella. Mix until smooth.
07 - Spread 1 cup sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Layer half the cooked pasta, then half the ricotta mixture, then half the remaining sauce. Repeat layers. Top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella.
08 - Let cool completely, then cover tightly with aluminum foil. Label and freeze for up to 3 months.
09 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake covered for 60 to 75 minutes, then uncover and bake 20 to 25 minutes more until bubbly and golden. If baking fresh, reduce covered baking time to 30 minutes, then uncover for 15 minutes.
10 - Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's a make-ahead dream that takes the stress out of weeknight dinners and actually tastes better after freezing.
  • The layered ricotta and mozzarella create this creamy, savory texture that everyone at the table loves, even the picky eaters.
  • One pan means less cleanup, and your oven does the heavy lifting while you handle everything else.
02 -
  • Undercooking the pasta is non-negotiable because it keeps cooking in the oven and in the freezer, and overcooked pasta turns mushy no matter how perfect everything else is.
  • The sugar in the tomato sauce isn't optional—it mellows the acidity of the canned tomatoes and makes the whole dish taste more balanced and intentional.
  • Cooling completely before freezing prevents ice crystals from forming and keeps the texture creamy rather than grainy when you reheat it.
03 -
  • Toss your cooked pasta with a tiny drizzle of olive oil immediately after draining so it doesn't stick together before layering—this one step saves you from having to break apart clumps.
  • Use a frozen bake as your baseline for timing; every oven runs differently, so if yours tends to cook hot, start checking at 60 minutes instead of the full 75.
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