Baked Ziti Cups (Printable Version)

Individual cheesy ziti cups layered with ricotta, tomato sauce, and mozzarella for a portable Italian delight.

# 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 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 ziti pasta in salted water until just al dente. Drain and allow to cool slightly.
03 - Heat olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan. Sauté minced garlic for about 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in crushed tomatoes, Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
04 - In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, chopped basil if using, and salt. Mix until smooth.
05 - In a large bowl, toss drained pasta with half of the tomato sauce and half of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
06 - Distribute half of the pasta mixture evenly into muffin cups. Top each with a spoonful of the ricotta mixture, then add remaining pasta mixture on top. Spoon remaining tomato sauce over each cup and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
07 - Bake cups for 20 to 25 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let cool in the tin for 5 minutes before loosening with a knife and removing.
08 - Serve warm, optionally garnished with extra fresh basil.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Individual portions mean everyone gets their perfect cheese-to-sauce ratio without debate.
  • They're crispy on the outside, creamy inside, and somehow feel fancier than regular baked ziti.
  • Make them ahead, freeze them, and reheat—actual weeknight dinner shortcuts that work.
02 -
  • If you cook the pasta too far ahead, it'll dry out—prep everything else first, then cook the pasta right before assembly.
  • The ricotta mixture needs that egg to hold it together; without it, you get a separated, watery layer instead of creamy richness.
03 -
  • Don't overfill the cups—leave about 1 centimeter of space at the top so the cheese bubbles over just slightly and gets those caramelized, crispy bits you're actually after.
  • If you're making these for a crowd, assemble them the night before, cover the tin with foil, and bake straight from the fridge (add 5 minutes to your bake time).
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