The “No-Fail” Baked Ziti

The “Under-Boil” Boil your ziti in salted water for 2 minutes less than the package directions for “al dente.” The pasta will finish cooking in the oven by soaking up the sauce; if you boil it fully now, it will turn to mush later.
The Meat Sauce Brown your meat in a large skillet, drain the fat, and stir in the marinara sauce and water. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
The Ricotta Mixture In a medium bowl, whisk the ricotta, egg, oregano, and 1 cup of the mozzarella. Adding the egg ensures the cheese stays creamy and “set” rather than becoming watery in the oven.
The Toss Combine the cooked pasta, the ricotta mixture, and half of the meat sauce in a large bowl. Toss until every tube of pasta is coated.
The Layering Spread a thin layer of the remaining meat sauce on the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Pour in the pasta mixture. Top with the rest of the sauce and the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella and Parmesan.
The Bake Bake at 375°F for 20–30 minutes.
- Pro Tip: Bake it uncovered if you want a crispy, browned cheese top. If you prefer a gooey, soft top, cover it with foil for the first 15 minutes.

The “Water Splash”: Always add a little water or beef broth to your jarred sauce. The pasta will “drink” a lot of liquid in the oven, and the extra moisture prevents the dish from drying out.
Room Temp Ricotta: Take your ricotta out of the fridge 30 minutes before mixing. It will incorporate much more smoothly into the hot pasta.
Freshly Grated Mozzarella: If you can, grate your own mozzarella from a block. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in potato starch to prevent clumping, which stops it from melting into that classic “cheese pull” we all love.