Baked Ziti Freezer Meal
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.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 569kcal
Equipment
- 9x13 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 9x13 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
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 569kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 1000mg | Potassium: 643mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 739IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 379mg | Iron: 3mg