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This baked ziti freezer meal is the perfect make-ahead dinner. It’s quick to assemble, easy to freeze, and simple to reheat. Just pop it in the oven for a homemade meal that brings everyone to the table without hassle.
Table of Contents
This make-ahead baked ziti is one of my go-to meals because I can have a whole dinner prepped in advance. It’s easy for either my husband or me to toss into the oven on a busy day.
Having a stash of easy make-ahead meals like this baked ziti recipe, slow cooker lasagna recipe, and easy meatloaf recipe with hot honey sauce means I can thaw, reheat, and have a delicious dinner on the table without the stress.
This recipe is convenient, delicious, and satisfying, and it goes from freezer to table with hardly any effort.
It tastes just as fresh when reheated because the noodles are parboiled first, then finish cooking as it bakes.
As it bakes low and slow, the pasta soaks up the rich tomato sauce and melted cheese, creating a warm, hearty, and family-friendly dinner that always hits the spot.
While this baked ziti freezer meal is simple to prepare, it takes a few hours to bake from frozen, so keep that in mind when planning your meals.
When I make this baked ziti freezer meal recipe, I like to serve it with my half-fresh-milled sourdough bread and herb butter recipe for a meal the whole family enjoys.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Easy: This recipe uses simple pantry ingredients—pasta, sauce, and cheese—layered into a single baking dish, making prep quick and minimal.
Crowd-Pleaser: Make this dish ahead of your next casual dinner party or family gathering.
Gifting: A baked ziti freezer meal is a simple way to support new parents, welcome neighbors, or lend a hand to a loved one.
Customizable: Make it your own by adding your favorite proteins, vegetables, or cheeses, and keep it freezer-friendly.
Budget-Friendly: Cooking in batches saves money and reduces waste, making freezer meals an easy and budget-friendly addition to your weekly meal plan.
Watch the Video
Check out how I make this baked ziti freezer meal and other freezer meals in the vlog below.
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Ingredients
Ground Beef: I prefer lean ground beef. Lately, though, I haven’t been able to find it for a decent price. So I used 80/20 and drained the excess fat.
Pasta: I used penne pasta, but this recipe works well with any short pasta.
Marinara Sauce: Use your favorite homemade or store-bought marinara sauce. Rao’s is my favorite store-bought pasta sauce.
Cheeses: I used mozzarella, parmesan, and cottage cheese. Homemade cottage cheese works great in this recipe. You can also swap the cottage cheese for ricotta if you prefer.
Seasonings: I used a simple mix of salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, but feel free to season it however you prefer.
Tools You Will Need
Skillet: You will need a skillet for making the sauce. I usually use my 13.25″ Lodge cast iron skillet.
Large Pot: Grab a large pot for boiling the water.
Mixing Bowl: You will also need a large bowl for making the cheese mixture.
Freezer-Safe Container: I use aluminum pans because they are freezer-safe and can go straight from the freezer to the oven.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat. If necessary, drain the excess fat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 2: Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Add the garlic and cook just until it becomes aromatic.
Step 4: Add the marinara sauce and Italian seasoning. Stir until combined. Heat on the stove until it is warmed through.
Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Step 5: While the sauce cools, bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil. Then, add the pasta and parboil it.
I usually cook it for half of the time recommended on the box. It should be firm and chewy at this point.
Drain the pasta and set it aside to cool.
Step 6: While the pasta cools, in a large bowl, combine the mozzarella, parmesan, and cottage cheeses.
Step 7: Spoon a layer of the sauce mixture onto the bottom of a 9×13 freezer-to-oven safe dish.
Spread it evenly so the noodles don’t stick to the bottom.
Step 8: Place a layer of the parboiled noodles on top. Cover the noodles with a layer of the cheese mixture.
Continue layering like this (sauce, noodles, cheese).
Top the final layer of noodles with more sauce and cheese (this will prevent the top noodles from drying out).
Step 1: Pour the water over the pasta bake. This will add moisture to the dish, ensuring the pasta finishes cooking when reheated.
Cover the dish with a freezer-safe lid and freeze for up to 3 months.
Step 1: Cover the dish with a freezer-safe lid and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating Instructions
Cooking from Frozen Option
- Preheat the oven to 375° F.
- Cover the frozen pasta bake with foil and bake for 60-75 minutes or until cooked through. If your freezer meal was in a deep freezer, this will take longer.
- Uncover and bake an additional 10–15 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
Thaw-Then-Cook Option
- Thaw the casserole in the fridge for 24 hours (or until completely thawed).
- Preheat the oven to 375° F.
- Cover the pasta bake with foil and bake for 35-45 minutes or until cooked through.
- Uncover and bake an additional 10–15 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and golden.
Tips for Success
- Don’t overcook the pasta. This recipe intentionally undercooks the pasta so it continues cooking to perfection upon reheating.
- I prefer using a dish that can go straight from the freezer to the oven. Check the specifications of your storage dish before freezing or reheating.
- Taste the sauce before assembling your freezer meal. As the pasta reheats, it will finish cooking in the sauce and absorb its flavor, so make sure to season it to your liking first.
- You can make this as cheesy as you prefer. Feel free to double up or cut back on the cheese.
- For smaller portions, you can freeze this in half-sized pans.
Serving Suggestions
Sourdough: Serve your freezer-baked ziti with sourdough bread, brioche rolls, or garlic knots.
Salad: Add a refreshing side salad with your ziti. In the summer, I serve it with lemon cucumber salad. In the winter, I usually serve it with leafy greens and balsamic vinaigrette.
Veggies: Pair the baked ziti recipe with steamed or fresh vegetables. Try adding home-canned tomatoes to your marinara sauce for an extra boost of vegetables.
Variations
Spaghetti: Spaghetti noodles can be used in place of penne pasta, but you may need to adjust the boiling and reheating times.
Veggie: Add your favorite cooked vegetables, such as broccoli, zucchini slices, or a cup of frozen mixed vegetables. If you add veggies before freezing them, I would undercook them so they don’t get mushy.
Spicy: To kick up the flavor, I sometimes add spicy Italian sausage, a dash of crushed red pepper flakes, or a pinch of cayenne.
White Sauce: Not in the mood for marinara? Try making this recipe with Alfredo sauce instead. My classic béchamel recipe also works well for a tomato-free version.
FAQs
Yes! Baking before freezing makes reheating even easier. Thaw overnight and reheat for 20–30 minutes, or bake from frozen for about 1 hour. Cover with foil to prevent the top from overbrowning.
I still recommend slightly undercooking it, though, because the pasta will continue to cook when reheated for serving.
Cover the dish completely with a lid or heavy-duty aluminum foil. For extra protection, consider placing the entire dish inside an extra-large, freezer-safe plastic bag. For the best quality, thaw and reheat within three months of storage.
Yes! Use oven- and freezer-safe tempered glass (like Pyrex) designed to withstand temperature changes. Allow the baked ziti to cool to room temperature completely before storing.
I always recommend checking the manufacturer’s instructions for freezing and reheating your cookware.
Before freezing, portion the ziti into 2-cup Souper Cubes. Once frozen, place a single serving on a microwave-safe plate and reheat until hot.
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Baked Ziti Freezer Meal
Equipment
- 9×13 Freezer-Safe Baking Pan
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 jar marina sauce, 24-26 oz
- 16 ounces penne pasta, uncooked
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 16 ounces cottage cheese, or ricotta if preferred
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Cook the Beef. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat. If necessary, drain the excess fat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.1 pound ground beef
- Add Onions. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.1/2 onion
- Add the Garlic. Add the garlic and cook just until it becomes aromatic.4 garlic cloves
- Make the Sauce. Add the marinara sauce and Italian seasoning. Stir until combined. Heat on the stove until it is warmed through. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.1 jar marina sauce, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Parboil the Pasta. While the sauce cools, bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil. Then, add the pasta and parboil it. I usually cook it for half of the time recommended on the box. It should be firm and chewy at this point.16 ounces penne pasta
- Drain. Drain the pasta and set it aside to cool.
- Make the Cheese Mixture. While the pasta cools, in a large bowl, combine the mozzarella, parmesan, and cottage cheeses.2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1 cup parmesan cheese, 16 ounces cottage cheese
- Prep the Pan. Spoon a layer of the sauce mixture onto the bottom of a 9×13 freezer-to-oven safe dish. Spread it evenly so the noodles don’t stick to the bottom.
- Assemble the Pasta Bake. Place a layer of the parboiled noodles on top. Cover the noodles with a layer of the cheese mixture. Continue layering like this (sauce, noodles, cheese). Top the final layer of noodles with more sauce and cheese (this will prevent the top noodles from drying out).
- Add Water. Pour the water over the pasta bake. This will add moisture to the dish so the pasta finishes cooking when reheating.1/2 cup water
- Freeze. Cover the dish with a freezer-safe lid and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating Instructions
Cooking from Frozen Option
- Preheat the oven to 375° F
- Cover the frozen pasta bake with foil and bake for 60-75 minutes or until cooked through. If your freezer meal was in a deep freezer, this will take longer.
- Uncover and bake an additional 10–15 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and golden.
Thaw-Then-Cook Option
- Thaw the casserole in the fridge for 24 hours (or until completely thawed).
- Preheat the oven to 375° F.
- Cover the pasta bake with foil and bake for 35-45 minutes or until cooked through.
- Uncover and bake an additional 10–15 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and golden.
Notes
- Don’t overcook the pasta. This recipe intentionally undercooks the pasta so it continues cooking to perfection upon reheating.
- I prefer using a dish that can go straight from the freezer to the oven. Check the specifications of your storage dish before freezing or reheating.
- Taste the sauce before assembling your freezer meal. As the pasta reheats, it will finish cooking in the sauce and absorb its flavor, so make sure to season it to your liking first.
- You can make this as cheesy as you prefer. Feel free to double up or cut back on the cheese.
- For smaller portions, you can freeze this in half-sized pans.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is auto-calculated and may not reflect your final product. Please verify independently if needed.