Lazy No-Boil Baked Ziti

This no-boil baked ziti skips boiling the pasta. Dry ziti goes into the baking dish with sauce and water, and it cooks in the oven while you do something else.

A pound of pasta, a jar of sauce and three kinds of cheese make six big servings, with one dish to wash.

Hands-on time is about 10 minutes.

Ingredients and Swaps

• Pasta: Ziti or penne, uncooked.
• Sauce and water: Marinara, tomato sauce and 2 cups of water. The pasta absorbs the extra liquid as it bakes.
• Ricotta: Dolloped over the top. Cottage cheese works.
• Mozzarella and Parmesan: For the melted topping.
• Meat: Optional. Add cooked Italian sausage or ground beef.

Tips for No-Boil Baked Ziti

• Submerge the pasta. Press it under the liquid. Pasta sticking out stays hard.
• Cover tightly. Foil sealed around the edges traps the steam that cooks the pasta.
• Stir once. Halfway through, stir so the pasta cooks evenly.
• Test before adding cheese. The pasta should be tender. If not, cover and bake 5–10 minutes longer.
• Rest before serving. The sauce thickens as it stands.

Prices are from Walmart’s and ALDI’s websites for stores in Columbus, Ohio, checked in October 2026. Ohio’s grocery prices are within about 1% of the national average, so you may pay more or less depending on where you live, and prices change often. Here’s how we price our recipes.

Cost: Ingredients – $8.01 from Walmart, $7.47 from ALDI · Per Serving – $1.25 to $1.33

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Lazy No-Boil Baked Ziti

Uncooked ziti mixed with marinara, water, ricotta, and mozzarella, then baked until tender and bubbly. Just 10 minutes of hands-on work.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 pound ziti or penne pasta uncooked
• 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. In a 9×13-inch baking dish, stir together the uncooked pasta, marinara, tomato sauce, water, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder until the pasta is coated and mostly submerged.
3. Dollop spoonfuls of ricotta over the pasta and gently swirl them in.
4. Cover tightly with foil and bake 45–50 minutes, stirring once halfway, until the pasta is tender.
5. Uncover, sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan, and bake 10 minutes more, until melted and bubbly.
6. Rest 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

• Cover tightly so the steam can cook the pasta.
• Add cooked Italian sausage or ground beef for a heartier dish.
• Stir in a handful of spinach before baking.
• Swap ricotta for cottage cheese to save money.

What to Serve with It

A Classic Caesar Salad and garlic bread. For a version with vegetables in the sauce, see Healthy Baked Ziti with Hidden Veggies.

Storage and Freezing

• Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
• Reheat covered at 350°F, or in the microwave.
• Freeze baked ziti for up to 3 months.

No-Boil Ziti Questions

Do I need special no-boil pasta?

No. Regular dried ziti or penne works.

Can I add spinach?

Yes. Stir in a few handfuls of fresh spinach when you stir the pasta halfway through.