Baked Ziti Cups (Printable)

Handheld ziti cups layered with tomato sauce, ricotta, and mozzarella—perfect for any occasion.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 8 oz ziti or rigatoni pasta

→ Sauce

02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 14 oz 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

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
02 - Boil ziti in salted water until just al dente. Drain and let cool slightly.
03 - Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
04 - In a bowl, mix ricotta, Parmesan, egg, basil if using, and salt until smooth.
05 - Combine the drained pasta with half the tomato sauce and half the mozzarella. Toss to coat evenly.
06 - Divide half of the pasta mixture evenly into muffin cups. Spoon ricotta mixture over each, then add the remaining pasta. Top with remaining tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.
07 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until cheese melts and bubbles. Let cool in tin for 5 minutes before loosening and removing cups with a knife.
08 - Serve warm, garnished with extra fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They're substantial enough for dinner but small enough to feel like a special treat, not a heavy pasta dish.
  • You can make them ahead, freeze them, and pop them in the oven whenever you need a win—no planning required.
  • Kids actually eat vegetables buried in cheese, and adults sneak seconds when they think no one's watching.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling step in the muffin tin—rushing to unmold them while they're hot turns them into pasta scramble, and nobody wants that.
  • If your mozzarella isn't melting evenly, your oven might have hot spots; rotate the tin halfway through baking for better results.
  • Freezing these actually improves them because the pasta and cheese firm up and hold together even better when reheated.
03 -
  • Make your tomato sauce a little underseasoned because the cheese layers add saltiness as everything bakes—you can always add salt later, but you can't take it back.
  • If you're reheating from frozen, add 5–10 extra minutes and cover with foil for the first half of baking to prevent the tops from burning while the insides warm through.
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