Baked Ziti Cups (Print)

Portion-friendly baked ziti cups with layers of cheese and tomato sauce in a crisp, handheld form.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 8 ounces ziti or rigatoni pasta

→ Sauce

02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 14 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
05 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Cheese Mixture

08 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1 large egg
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (optional)
12 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Assembly

13 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
14 - Nonstick cooking spray

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
02 - Boil salted water in a large pot and cook ziti until just al dente. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
03 - Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
04 - In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, egg, chopped basil if using, and salt. Stir until smooth.
05 - In a large bowl, toss drained pasta with half of the tomato sauce and half of the shredded mozzarella to coat evenly.
06 - Distribute half of the pasta mixture evenly into muffin cups. Spoon ricotta mixture over each. Layer remaining pasta on top, then spoon remaining tomato sauce over each cup. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.
07 - Bake for 20–25 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Allow cups to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before loosening with a knife and removing.
08 - Serve warm, garnished with additional fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Each cup is perfectly portioned, so no more fighting over who gets the crispy corner piece.
  • They're portable enough for lunchboxes and sturdy enough to be eaten by hand without embarrassment.
  • The whole recipe comes together in under an hour, making weeknight dinner feel less like a chore.
02 -
  • Don't cook the pasta all the way through—those two minutes of remaining firmness matter because the pasta finishes cooking in the oven, and overcooked pasta turns mushy when baked.
  • Let the cups cool in the tin before removing them; trying to pop them out while they're steaming hot means broken cups and tears in the kitchen.
  • If you make these ahead and refrigerate them, add five to ten extra minutes to the baking time since you're starting from cold.
03 -
  • Buy your mozzarella freshly shredded at the cheese counter if possible—pre-shredded cheese often contains anti-caking agents that prevent smooth, creamy melting.
  • Taste your tomato sauce as it simmers and add a tiny pinch of sugar if it tastes too acidic; it makes all the difference without tasting sweet.
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