Freezer Make-Ahead Baked Ziti

# What You 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 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

10 - 1 (15-ounce) can 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

# How-To:

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 olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more.

04 - If using meat, add 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 using, 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 foil. Label and freeze for up to 3 months.

09 - If baking from frozen, preheat oven to 375°F and bake covered for 60-75 minutes, then uncover and bake 20-25 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 Advice:

01 -

It sits quietly in your freezer waiting to rescue you on nights when cooking feels impossible.
The ricotta and mozzarella layers create this creamy richness that makes everyone think you spent hours in the kitchen.
You can customize it with whatever vegetables you have hanging around, making it as flexible as your schedule.

02 -

Undercook the pasta slightly—this is the lesson I learned the hard way after one too many mushy baked zitis, and it makes all the difference in texture.
Don't skip the cooling step before freezing; a hot casserole will create ice crystals that affect the final texture and won't freeze properly.
The resting time at the end might feel unnecessary, but those 10 minutes let everything settle and make the dish much easier to serve without falling apart.

03 -