Description
A comforting, indulgent pasta bake that combines traditional baked ziti with a modern twist of cream cheese. This recipe features tender tube pasta enveloped in a rich tomato sauce, enhanced with cream cheese and sour cream for extra creaminess, and topped with gooey mozzarella and savory Parmesan. Perfect for family dinners, potlucks, or a cozy weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- 4 cups uncooked tube pasta (ziti, penne, or rigatoni work well)
- 1 jar (24–26 oz) marinara sauce
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juices
- 6 oz cream cheese, cut into small cubes
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
- Italian seasoning (optional)
- Fresh basil (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a 13×9-inch baking dish with non-stick spray or olive oil.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook until al dente, then drain (reserve 1 cup of pasta water).
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine marinara sauce and diced tomatoes. Add the cream cheese cubes and stir continuously for 5–7 minutes until melted and smooth.
- Stir in the sour cream and season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning as desired.
- Toss the hot, drained pasta with the rich sauce, adding reserved pasta water gradually if the mixture is too thick.
- Transfer half of the pasta and sauce mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle half of the shredded mozzarella over it.
- Layer the remaining pasta and sauce on top and finish with the remaining mozzarella and the grated Parmesan cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden.
- Remove from the oven and let the dish sit for 5–10 minutes. Garnish with freshly chopped basil if desired, then serve warm.
Notes
This dish is very forgiving and can be adjusted to suit your taste. For added protein, consider browning ground beef or Italian sausage before mixing it into the sauce. Vegetarians can boost nutrition by adding sautéed vegetables like mushrooms, spinach, or zucchini. Leftovers store well in the fridge and can be reheated in the oven; simply cover with foil and warm at 350°F until bubbly.
- Prep Time: 15 mn
- Cook Time: 25 mn
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/8 of dish)
- Calories: ~550 kcal
- Sugar: ~8 g
- Sodium: ~900 mg
- Fat: ~28 g
- Saturated Fat: ~16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: ~12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: ~58 g
- Fiber: ~3 g
- Protein: ~24 g
- Cholesterol: ~60 mg
Keywords: creamy baked ziti, cream cheese pasta bake, baked ziti recipe, easy pasta bake, comfort food pasta