This freezer baked ziti layers meat sauce, creamy ricotta and mozzarella, then goes straight from freezer to oven. Saucy, cheesy and never dry after freezing.
This freezer baked ziti is the dinner we hand to friends with a new baby, take to potlucks and keep for nights when cooking is out of the question. It is saucy, layered with creamy ricotta and buried under bubbling mozzarella, and it bakes straight from frozen with no thawing.
Plenty of baked ziti recipes say they freeze well, and then the pasta drinks up all the sauce and you get a dry, stiff block. This version is written for the freezer: the ziti is boiled 3 minutes short so it finishes cooking in the oven, there is about a third more sauce than a bake-now recipe, and the ricotta is mixed with an egg and Parmesan so it stays creamy instead of grainy.
We froze this ziti baked and unbaked, in foil and glass, thawed and from frozen, and unbaked won by a mile. The meat sauce uses ground beef, so it is halal-friendly with halal-certified beef, and it makes one 9x13 pan or two 8x8 pans: one for tonight and one for the freezer. If you like this, our freezer mac and cheese uses the same undercooked-pasta trick.
Why You’ll Love This Freezer Baked Ziti
Saucy after freezing. Extra sauce and undercooked pasta mean no dry, stiff leftovers.
Freezer to oven. No thawing: it bakes from frozen while you get on with your evening.
Creamy ricotta layer. Mixed with egg and Parmesan so it stays smooth, not grainy.
Feeds a crowd. Ten generous servings, or two smaller pans for two dinners.
Perfect to share. The meal-train classic for new parents, neighbours and busy weeks.
Here is what people say after making this freezer baked ziti at home:
One reader, Sample reader, commented:Baked it from frozen for a friend who just had twins. She asked for the recipe the next day. ★★★★★Example
One reader, Sample reader, commented:So much saucier than my old freezer ziti. The extra can of tomatoes really works. ★★★★★Example
One reader, Sample reader, commented:Two 8x8 pans, one for us, one for the freezer. Easy weeknight win. ★★★★★Example
Layout preview: example comments. Only real reader comments, with their source, go here at launch.
Is It Better to Freeze Baked Ziti Cooked or Uncooked?
Uncooked, every time. Assemble the ziti completely, but do not bake it, and freeze it with the cheese on top. Baked ziti that has already been in the oven has absorbed most of its sauce, so it dries out and the pasta turns soft when you bake it a second time. Unbaked, it only cooks once, from frozen or thawed, and tastes freshly made.
The one thing you do cook is the pasta, and only partly. Boil the ziti for 3 minutes less than the package says: it should still be firm in the middle. It keeps soaking up sauce in the freezer and finishes cooking in the oven. Leftovers from a baked pan can still be frozen in portions; reheat them with a spoonful of extra sauce.
Every ingredient here has a freezer job as well as a flavour job. Here is what each one does for this freezer baked ziti:
Ziti: Wide tubes that hold sauce inside. Penne or rigatoni work the same way. Undercook by 3 minutes.
Ground beef: 85 percent lean gives a rich sauce without a greasy layer after freezing. Use halal-certified beef if you need to.
Marinara plus crushed tomatoes: A jar of good marinara for flavour, plus a can of crushed tomatoes for the extra sauce the pasta will absorb in the freezer.
Whole-milk ricotta with egg and Parmesan: The egg sets the ricotta into a creamy layer, and the Parmesan seasons it. Part-skim ricotta turns grainy after freezing.
Low-moisture mozzarella: Shred it from the block. Fresh mozzarella is too watery for freezing.
Onion, garlic and Italian seasoning: The base of the meat sauce.
Layer and top. Toss the ziti with the sauce, layer half in the pan, dot with ricotta, add the rest and finish with mozzarella. Bake now, or wrap and freeze.
A frozen pan of ziti bubbles at the edges long before the centre is hot. Push an instant-read thermometer into the middle of the pan: it should read 165°F (74°C). You can also slide a knife into the centre for 5 seconds; it should come out hot, and a spoon should meet no icy patches.
If the cheese browns before the middle is ready, lay the foil back over loosely. Let the ziti rest for 10 minutes before cutting so the layers hold together.
How to Freeze, Thaw and Reheat Freezer Baked Ziti
Freeze it unbaked with the mozzarella already on top. Pressing plastic wrap onto the cheese before adding the lid keeps ice crystals off the surface.
Freezes for
Up to 3 months
Best container
9x13 foil pan with a lid, plastic wrap pressed on the cheese
Thaw
No need to thaw. To thaw anyway, leave it in the fridge for about 24 hours.
To freeze
Assemble with undercooked ziti and leave it unbaked, cheese on top.
Cool at room temperature for 30 minutes (no longer than 2 hours).
Press plastic wrap onto the cheese, then cover with the lid or a double layer of foil.
Label with the date and baking directions, and freeze flat.
To reheat
Oven, from frozen
Remove the plastic wrap, cover with foil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 80 minutes, then uncovered for 15 minutes, to 165°F (74°C).
Oven, thawed
Bake covered at 375°F (190°C) for 30 minutes, then uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes.
Microwave, single portion
Add a spoonful of sauce or water, cover and heat at 50 percent power for 3 minutes, then full power in 1-minute bursts until hot.
From frozen:Yes, this freezer baked ziti bakes straight from frozen in about 1 hour 35 minutes.
Yes. Ricotta freezes well inside baked ziti, especially whole-milk ricotta mixed with an egg and Parmesan, which keeps it creamy. Part-skim ricotta is more likely to turn grainy after thawing.
Should I thaw frozen baked ziti before cooking?
You do not have to. Bake it from frozen, covered, at 375°F (190°C) for about 80 minutes, then uncovered for 15 minutes. If you prefer, thaw it in the fridge for 24 hours and bake it covered for 30 minutes, then uncovered for 15 to 20.
Can I freeze leftover baked ziti?
Yes. Cool the leftovers within 2 hours, portion them into airtight containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat portions in the microwave or oven with a spoonful of extra sauce so they do not dry out.
Can you freeze baked ziti in an aluminum pan?
Yes, and it is the easiest option: a foil pan goes straight from freezer to oven without the risk of a cold glass dish cracking. Press plastic wrap onto the cheese, then cover with the lid or foil.
Can you freeze baked ziti in freezer bags?
Yes, for portions. Freeze cooled portions of baked ziti flat in quart freezer bags for up to 3 months, then reheat in a covered dish in the oven or microwave. For a whole unbaked casserole, a foil pan works better.
This freezer baked ziti layers meat sauce, creamy ricotta and mozzarella, then goes straight from freezer to oven. Saucy, cheesy and never dry after freezing.
Brown the beef in the oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up, for 6 to 8 minutes. Add the onion and cook 4 minutes, then the garlic for 1 minute. Spoon off excess fat.
03
Simmer the sauce: stir in the marinara, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes. It should be looser than a sauce you would serve right away.
Layer the ziti tossed with the sauce: spread half in a 9x13 foil pan, dot with the ricotta, cover with the remaining pasta and scatter the mozzarella over the top.
Cool and wrap the pan for 30 minutes, press plastic wrap onto the cheese, cover with the lid or foil, label and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake now, skip to the next step and bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for 15 to 20.
07
Bake from frozen: remove the plastic wrap, cover with foil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 80 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes more, until the cheese is bubbling and the centre reads 165°F (74°C). Rest 10 minutes before serving.
This freezer mac and cheese stays creamy after months in the freezer. Make it ahead, freeze it unbaked, then bake it straight from frozen with a crisp top.
These freezer breakfast burritos reheat in 3 minutes and never go soggy: crispy potatoes, soft eggs, turkey sausage and cheddar, ready for busy mornings.
These freezer chicken enchiladas are creamy inside, saucy on top and never soggy. Roll them, freeze the pan unbaked, then bake them straight from frozen.
55 min·Easy
Comments & reviews (5)
★★★★★★★★★★4.8 out of 5 from 4 ratings
Layout preview: these are sample comments and ratings. At launch only approved reader comments appear here.
Sample reader
★★★★★★★★★★Example
Baked it straight from frozen for my sister after her surgery. So easy.
The Freezer Cook Kitchen replied
That is exactly what it is for. Hope she is feeling better!
Sample reader
★★★★★★★★★★Example
Still saucy after a month in the freezer. The undercooked pasta trick works.
Anonymous
★★★★★★★★★★Example
Good, but my oven needed 10 extra minutes. The thermometer tip helped.
Sample reader
Example
Can I use ground turkey instead of beef?
The Freezer Cook Kitchen replied
Yes, it works well. Add a little extra salt and Italian seasoning.
Sample reader
★★★★★★★★★★Example
The ricotta stayed creamy, not grainy. Will make again.
Comments & reviews (5)
★★★★★★★★★★4.8 out of 5 from 4 ratings
Layout preview: these are sample comments and ratings. At launch only approved reader comments appear here.
Sample reader
★★★★★★★★★★ExampleBaked it straight from frozen for my sister after her surgery. So easy.
The Freezer Cook Kitchen replied
That is exactly what it is for. Hope she is feeling better!
Sample reader
★★★★★★★★★★ExampleStill saucy after a month in the freezer. The undercooked pasta trick works.
Anonymous
★★★★★★★★★★ExampleGood, but my oven needed 10 extra minutes. The thermometer tip helped.
Sample reader
ExampleCan I use ground turkey instead of beef?
The Freezer Cook Kitchen replied
Yes, it works well. Add a little extra salt and Italian seasoning.
Sample reader
★★★★★★★★★★ExampleThe ricotta stayed creamy, not grainy. Will make again.