Baked Ziti Cups (Printable Version)

Individual ziti pasta cups layered with cheese and tomato sauce, ideal for snacks or casual meals.

# What You 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

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
02 - Cook ziti pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until just al dente. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
03 - Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. 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, grated Parmesan, egg, fresh 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 to coat evenly.
06 - Divide half of the pasta mixture evenly among the muffin cups. Spoon a portion of the ricotta mixture over each, then layer with the remaining pasta. Top each with the remaining tomato sauce and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
07 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let cool for 5 minutes in the tin before loosening with a knife and removing each cup.
08 - Serve warm, optionally garnished with extra basil.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're portable and portion-controlled, meaning no awkward serving spoons or messy plates.
  • Kids actually eat the vegetables buried in the sauce when it's presented this way.
  • Leftovers freeze beautifully, so you can reheat one cup for a quick lunch without heating the whole oven.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling time in the tin—it's what keeps your beautiful layers from falling apart the moment you lift them.
  • If your cheese isn't melting properly at the edges, your oven might be too cool; trust your eyes more than the timer.
  • The pasta should be slightly undercooked when you drain it because it continues cooking in the oven—this is the one mistake that keeps people from making these again.
03 -
  • Always let the ricotta mixture get to room temperature before filling—it spreads easier and distributes more evenly through the cups.
  • If your mozzarella isn't shredding smoothly, pop it in the freezer for ten minutes first; frozen cheese shreds like butter.
  • Taste your tomato sauce before you mix it with the pasta—this is your only chance to adjust the seasoning when it's still just sauce and not tangled up in cheese.
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