Baked Ziti With Mini Meatballs
Make baked ziti with meatballs with simple ingredients, clear steps, and helpful tips. Perfect for weeknight dinners, family meals, or cozy meal planning.
Total time
90 min
Servings
1
Calories
562.3
Category
Dinner & Mains
This Baked Ziti with Mini Meatballs is a hearty, comforting pasta dish perfect for family dinners. Layers of tender ziti, creamy ricotta, savory mini meatballs, and melted mozzarella are baked to golden perfection. With a rich tomato basil sauce and a hint of Parmesan, this recipe delivers classic Italian-American flavors in every bite. Ideal for make-ahead meals or feeding a crowd, it’s a crowd-pleaser that’s easy to customize.
Ingredients
Makes 1 serving
- 1 ziti pasta
- 1 tomatoes with basil
- 15 part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1 part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 12 eggs
- 2 olive oil
- 1/2 onion
- 1 basil
- 1/2 parsley
- 1/2 pepper
- 2 parmesan cheese
Method
.1. Cook ziti until al dente and then rinse to cool and set aside.
2. Mix ground meat, onion, bread crumbs, 1 tsp garlic salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1 egg and 1/2 tsp basil. Form into small meatballs ( a little less than a walnut). Then cook the meatballs in the olive oil until the meatballs are browned and cooked through. Drain off the fat then set aside.
3. Mix the ricotta, 1 tsp garlic salt, 1/2 tsp basil, 1/2 tsp parsley, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/2 of mozzarella and 1 egg together. Set aside. Then mix the ricotta mixture with the ziti and set aside again.
4. Mix the jar of pasta sauce and the basil crushed tomatoes together then set aside.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
6. Assemble: 1/3 of the sauce- followed by 1/2 of the ziti/ricotta/mozzarella-followed by the meatballs- then -- 1/3 sauce - followed by the rest of the ziti/ricotta/mozzarella mix- followed by the last 1/3 of the sauce followed by the rest of the mozzarella and sprinkled with the parmesan cheese.
7. Bake, loosely covered with foil for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 20-30 minutes. Let sit at least 10 minutes before serving.
Cook's notes
- Use fresh basil for the ricotta mixture to enhance flavor.
- For extra crispy meatballs, sear them in olive oil until deeply browned.
- Let the baked ziti rest for 10 minutes before slicing to set the layers.
Easy swaps
- Instead of ziti pasta, use penne, rigatoni, or fusilli
- Instead of part-skim ricotta, use full-fat ricotta or cottage cheese (drained)
- Instead of part-skim mozzarella, use whole-milk mozzarella or provolone
- Instead of eggs, use flax eggs (1 tbsp flaxmeal + 2.5 tbsp water per egg)
- Instead of olive oil, use avocado oil or vegetable oil
- Instead of onion, use shallot or leek (finely chopped)
- Instead of parsley, use dried parsley or fresh cilantro (mild)
- Instead of parmesan cheese, use pecorino romano or asiago
Frequently asked
Can I use gluten-free pasta?
Yes, gluten-free ziti or penne works well. Cook al dente to avoid mushiness.
How can I make this dish vegetarian?
Omit the meatballs and add sautéed mushrooms, spinach, or roasted zucchini for texture.
Can I prepare this ahead of time?
Absolutely! Assemble the dish up to 24 hours in advance, cover, and refrigerate. Add 10-15 minutes to baking time.
What if I don’t have crushed tomatoes with basil?
Use plain crushed tomatoes plus 1 tsp dried basil or a handful of fresh basil leaves.
