This 5-ingredient oven Easter ziti is the kind of weeknight miracle I lean on when the day gets away from me but I still want a cozy, celebratory pasta bake on the table. Instead of boiling the pasta, we scatter raw, uncooked ziti straight into a 9x13 glass casserole dish, then rely on four pantry staples—jarred marinara, water, ricotta, and shredded mozzarella—to do the rest. The pasta gently bakes and absorbs the sauce in the oven, giving you that classic Italian-American baked ziti comfort with almost no hands-on time. It’s a practical, no-fuss cousin of traditional baked ziti, perfect for Easter or any family dinner when you want something everyone will happily go back for seconds of.
Serve this oven Easter ziti straight from the glass casserole dish with a simple green salad—think mixed lettuces, a sharp vinaigrette, and maybe a few shaved carrots for crunch. Garlic bread or warm crusty rolls are ideal for scooping up the saucy edges. A side of roasted vegetables, such as asparagus or broccoli, makes the meal feel more festive without much extra work. If you enjoy wine, a light to medium-bodied red like Chianti or Montepulciano pairs nicely with the tomato and cheese, while sparkling water with lemon keeps things fresh and family-friendly.
5-Ingredient Oven Easter ZitiServings: 6-8
Ingredients
1 pound dry ziti pasta, uncooked
3 cups jarred marinara sauce
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Directions
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place a 9x13 glass casserole dish on the counter; no need to grease it.
Scatter the raw, uncooked ziti evenly in the bottom of the 9x13 glass dish. This is your base layer—make sure the pasta is in a fairly even layer so it cooks uniformly.
In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the marinara sauce and water until well combined. This loose sauce is what the dry pasta will absorb as it bakes.
Pour the marinara–water mixture evenly over the raw ziti, tilting the dish gently if needed so the liquid seeps down and covers as much of the pasta as possible. Press any pieces of pasta that are sticking up so they’re mostly submerged in the liquid.
Dollop the ricotta over the saucy pasta in small spoonfuls, spacing them out across the dish. There’s no need to spread it perfectly; it will melt into pockets of creamy cheese as the ziti bakes.
Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of the shredded mozzarella evenly over the top. Reserve the remaining 1/2 cup for later in the bake.
Cover the glass casserole dish tightly with foil, tenting it slightly so it doesn’t stick to the cheese. Place the dish on the center rack of the preheated oven.
Bake, covered, for 35–40 minutes, until the pasta is mostly tender and the liquid is bubbling around the edges. If you’re unsure, carefully peel back a corner of the foil and poke a piece of pasta with a fork; it should have just a slight bite in the center.
Remove the foil, sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella over the top, and return the dish to the oven uncovered. Bake for another 8–12 minutes, until the cheese is melted, lightly browned in spots, and the pasta is fully cooked.
Take the casserole out of the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. This short rest helps the sauce thicken slightly and makes it easier to scoop neat portions. Serve warm, straight from the dish.
Variations & Tips
Because this recipe leans on pantry staples, it’s easy to adapt with what you have on hand. For a slightly richer bake, substitute 1/2 cup of the water with milk or half-and-half; just keep the total liquid at about 3 cups so the raw ziti cooks through. If your marinara is very thick, you can add an extra 1/4 cup water to ensure the pasta is well-hydrated. For more flavor without adding ingredients, choose a robust marinara (garlic, basil, or roasted garlic varieties work especially well) and season the top lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper before baking. To keep the 5-ingredient simplicity but vary the texture, swap ziti for another short tube pasta like rigatoni or penne, adjusting bake time by a few minutes if needed. If you want a slightly firmer top, broil the finished casserole for 1–2 minutes at the end, watching closely so the cheese doesn’t burn. Leftovers reheat nicely in a covered dish in a low oven with a splash of water or extra marinara to loosen the sauce.
