The Food Lab's No-Boil Baked Ziti

Forget boiling water like a chump. Soak the pasta, toss it with the good stuff—ricotta, mozz, and cream—and let the oven do the heavy lifting. It's gooey, it's fast, and it's exactly what you want on a Tuesday night.

Prep: 10 minutesCook: 60 minutesServes 8
ItemQuantity
Ziti, penne, or other thick tubular pasta454g (1 lb)
Homemade or high-quality store-bought red sauce— (such as Rao's)1440g (6 cup)
Whole-milk ricotta cheese— homemade or high-quality340g (12 oz)
Parmigiano-Reggiano— finely grated85g (3 oz)
Large eggs— beaten2 count (100g)
Heavy cream240g (1 cup)
Minced fresh parsley3 tbsp
Minced fresh basil3 tbsp
Kosher salt— to taste
Freshly ground black pepper— to taste
Whole-milk mozzarella cheese— cut into rough 1/4-inch cubes454g (1 lb)
Cooking spray

Steps

  1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Place the ziti in a large bowl and cover with hot salted water by 3 or 4 inches. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, stirring after the first 5 minutes to prevent sticking. Drain.
  3. Pour about half of the red sauce into a large pot; add the ricotta, half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano, the eggs, the heavy cream, and half of the parsley and basil, and stir to combine.
  4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  5. Add the soaked ziti along with half of the mozzarella cheese cubes and stir until well combined.
  6. Transfer to an ungreased 9- by 13-inch baking dish and top with the remaining red sauce and mozzarella.
  7. Lightly grease aluminum foil with cooking spray.
  8. Cover the baking dish tightly with the sprayed aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.
  9. Remove the foil and bake until the cheese begins to brown, about 15 minutes longer.
  10. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano, then let cool for 10 minutes.
  11. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and basil and serve.
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