Baked Ziti Cups

My neighbor stopped by on a Tuesday evening with a plate of something I'd never seen before—individual pasta cups, golden and crispy at the edges, oozing with melted cheese. She laughed when I asked what they were, said she'd made them for her daughter's school lunch and figured out they were way easier to handle than a full baking dish. I bit into one and couldn't stop. The next week, I was making my own, and now they've become my secret weapon for feeding people without it feeling like work.

I brought a batch to my book club thinking they'd be an afterthought, and three people asked for the recipe before dessert even came out. What surprised me most wasn't the compliments but watching everyone pick them up with their hands instead of forks, getting that slightly messy comfort-food satisfaction that fork-and-plate eating never quite delivers.

Ingredients

• Ziti or rigatoni pasta, 225 g (8 oz): The short, tube shapes trap sauce beautifully and hold their structure in a cup better than longer noodles—skip the spaghetti temptation.
• Olive oil, 1 tablespoon: Just enough to bloom the garlic without making the sauce slick.
• Garlic, 2 cloves minced: Don't skip this step; it takes 60 seconds and transforms the sauce from flat to fragrant.
• Canned crushed tomatoes, 400 g (14 oz): Use good-quality canned tomatoes—they're more reliable than fresh and give you consistent flavor every time.
• Dried Italian herbs, 1 teaspoon: Fresh herbs are lovely, but dried hold up better during baking and won't scorch like fresh basil will.
• Salt and black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon and 1/4 teaspoon: Season as you go; don't dump it all in at once and hope for the best.
• Ricotta cheese, 250 g (1 cup): This is your creamy secret—it prevents the cups from drying out and adds a delicate contrast to the tangy sauce.
• Parmesan cheese, 60 g (1/2 cup) grated: Real Parmigiano-Reggiano tastes noticeably better than pre-grated, and grating it fresh takes two extra minutes.
• Egg, 1 large: Acts as a binder so the ricotta mixture doesn't separate as it bakes.
• Fresh basil, 2 tablespoons chopped (optional): Add it to the ricotta mixture, not on top, so it doesn't turn black in the oven.
• Mozzarella cheese, 150 g (1 1/2 cups) shredded: Shred your own from a block if you can—the pre-shredded stuff contains anti-caking agents that make it a bit grainy when melted.
• Nonstick cooking spray: This is non-negotiable; without it, you'll spend 10 minutes fighting to extract the cups.

Instructions

Get your muffin tin ready:

Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F) and give that 12-cup tin a generous coating of nonstick spray—I usually go around twice to be safe. This single step saves you from swearing while trying to pop out a stuck cup later.

Cook the pasta until just al dente:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook your ziti for one minute less than the package says—it's going to cook more in the oven, and you don't want mushy cups. Drain and let it cool for a few minutes while you move to the next step.

Make the sauce smell incredible:

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add your minced garlic, and listen for that gentle sizzle—it should smell amazing within 30 seconds. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, dried herbs, salt, and pepper, simmer for 5 minutes just to let everything get acquainted, then turn off the heat.

Blend the cheese mixture until smooth:

In a bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, egg, basil if you're using it, and a pinch of salt, then mix until it's creamy and lump-free. This is your binding layer, so don't skip the mixing.

Dress the pasta with sauce and cheese:

Toss the cooled pasta with half the tomato sauce and half the mozzarella in a large bowl—you want every strand coated but not swimming in sauce. This is where the balance starts.

Layer with purpose:

Divide half the dressed pasta among your muffin cups, pressing gently so it settles. Top each with a generous spoonful of ricotta mixture, then fill the rest of the way with remaining pasta, sauce, and a sprinkle of the last bit of mozzarella—it's like building tiny edible architecture.

Bake until bubbling and golden:

Slide the tin into the oven for 20 to 25 minutes; you're looking for the cheese to be melted and slightly bubbly around the edges, which signals everything's hot all the way through. Let them cool for 5 minutes in the tin before running a knife around the edges and lifting each cup out.

Save It

My daughter announced one night that these were her favorite meal because she could eat them on the couch while watching her show, and somehow that honest little declaration made me love this recipe more than any dinner party compliment ever could. There's something quietly perfect about food that doesn't demand your full attention but absolutely deserves it.

The Freezer-Friendly Kitchen Hack

The best part about these cups isn't serving them fresh—it's knowing you can make a double batch on a Sunday and have emergency weeknight dinners stashed away. Let them cool completely, wrap each one loosely in foil or pop them into a freezer-safe container, and they'll keep for up to three months. When you need dinner fast, reheat them straight from the freezer in a 160°C (325°F) oven for about 20 minutes, or microwave individual cups for 2 to 3 minutes if you're in a real time crunch.

Customizing Without Complicating

The beauty of individual cups is that you can actually customize them—slip some cooked Italian sausage or ground beef into a few of them for the meat-lovers at your table, keep others vegetarian, or swap in penne if ziti's sold out. I've even made them with a mix of mozzarella and fontina for a richer flavor, and once I layered in some finely chopped spinach just to see what happened. The structure stays sturdy, and you avoid the awkward dinner conversation about what goes in the main dish.

Why These Win Over Everything Else

Regular baked ziti is great, but it sits in a dish and loses appeal after the first serving gets cold. These cups stay interesting because they have crispy edges from the muffin tin, a creamy ricotta layer you actually taste, and the sauce-to-pasta ratio never gets muddled. Every single cup is perfect on its own, which means no fighting over who gets the corner piece.

• Pair them with a sharp green salad dressed in lemon vinaigrette to cut through the richness.
• Garlic bread on the side is the obvious choice, but sometimes crusty bread dipped in the leftover sauce is even better.
• These taste best served warm but not piping hot—five minutes of rest after coming out of the oven is all they need.

Save It

These cups taught me that sometimes the simplest twist on a classic makes the biggest difference. Serve them warm, watch people's faces light up, and know you've made something everyone will actually finish.

Recipe FAQs

→ Can I use a different pasta for the ziti cups?

Yes, penne or rigatoni work well as substitutes, maintaining similar texture and shape for layering.

→ How can I make the ziti cups vegetarian?

Using vegetarian-friendly cheeses ensures the dish remains suitable for vegetarians without changing the layers of flavor.

→ What is the best way to store leftovers?

Store cooled cups in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for longer preservation.

→ Can these cups be reheated without drying out?

Reheat gently in a microwave or oven, covering loosely to retain moisture and keep the cheese melted.

→ How do I prevent the pasta cups from sticking to the muffin tin?

Lightly spraying the muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray before assembling helps easy release after baking.