Gluten-Free Baked Ziti

Ingredients

• 1 egg (any size, at room temperature)
• 15 oz ricotta cheese (at room temperature; choose a thick, dense variety)
• 16 oz shredded mozzarella cheese (plus more as needed, divided)
• 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese (finely grated, plus more as needed, divided)
• 0.333 cup fresh basil leaves (chopped)
• 0.125 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 0.25 tsp kosher salt
• 24 oz gluten free tomato sauce (at room temperature; such as Rao's brand tomato herb or marinara)
• 4 oz tomato paste (pure; can use up to 6 ounces for a thicker sauce)
• 12 oz dried gluten free rigatoni pasta (or other ziti-style pasta)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9-inch x 13-inch x 2-inch (or similar size) baking dish and set it aside.

2. 2

   Set a large stockpot of water to boil on the stovetop. You can salt the water if you like.

3. 3

   In a medium-size mixing bowl, place the egg and beat well.

4. 4

   Add all 15 ounces of the ricotta cheese, 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper to the bowl with the egg. Whisk well to combine. If the ricotta cheese is cold, you may need to mix with a spoon rather than using a whisk.

5. 5

   Add the chopped basil leaves and about 1/4 of the total grated mozzarella cheese (4 ounces) to the ricotta mixture and mix to combine. Set the bowl aside.

6. 6

   In a separate medium-size bowl, place the tomato sauce. Add 4 to 6 ounces of tomato paste and whisk to combine well. Set the bowl aside.

7. 7

   Place the dried pasta in the boiling water and boil, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

8. 8

   Boil the pasta for about 2 minutes less than whatever cooking time is recommended on the package (al dente). If there is a range of cooking time, boil for 2 minutes less than the low end of the range.

9. 9

   Drain the cooked pasta, return it to the pot, and toss it with one quarter (about 7 ounces) of the total marinara sauce mixture. Set the pasta and sauce mixture aside.

10. 10

    In the prepared casserole dish, place about one third of the remaining tomato sauce mixture (about 7 ounces) in a single layer and spread into an even layer.

11. 11

    Top with an even layer of half of the pasta with sauce.

12. 12

    Dollop about half of the ricotta cheese mixture evenly across the top, and spread it gently into an even layer.

13. 13

    Drizzle about half of the remaining pasta sauce (7 ounces) evenly across the top of the ricotta mixture.

14. 14

    Sprinkle about half of the remaining mozzarella cheese (4 ounces) and 1 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese evenly on top.

15. 15

    Layer on top all the sauce that remains (7 ounces).

16. 16

    Dollop the remaining half of the ricotta cheese mixture evenly across the top, and spread it gently into an even layer.

17. 17

    Add the second half of the pasta with sauce mixture in an even layer on top of the ricotta mixture.

18. 18

    End with the remaining mozzarella cheese (8 ounces) in a single layer, then sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese on top.

19. 19

    Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the cheese on top is golden brown in spots.

20. 20

    Remove the dish from the oven and run a thin silicone or nylon spatula or knife around the perimeter to unstick the edges.

21. 21

    Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before serving warm.

Notes

Undercook the pasta by 2 minutes from the package instructions to ensure it doesn't fall apart during baking. For storage, leftovers can be frozen for up to 1 month. You can also assemble the dish up to 3 days ahead and store it unbaked in the refrigerator. For a dairy-free version, use vegan substitutes for Parmesan, mozzarella, and ricotta (brands like Violife, Miyoko's, or Kite Hill are recommended).

Nutrition per serving

• main
• dinner
• gluten-free
• baked
• casserole
• pasta
• vegetarian