Baked Ziti Cups

The first time I made these baked ziti cups, it was a Tuesday night scramble—I had a lunchbox to fill, a crowd coming over, and pasta going soft in the pot. Instead of dumping everything into a baking dish like always, I grabbed a muffin tin on a whim and thought, why not make this portable? What started as kitchen desperation turned into something my friends still ask for, and now I can't imagine baked ziti any other way.

I brought a batch to my neighbor's potluck last spring, still warm in a box, and watched people reach for second cups before trying anything else on the table. There was something about holding a golden, bubbly pasta cup in your hand that made people happy in a way a casserole never quite does.

Ingredients

• Ziti or rigatoni pasta, 225g: Short tubes hold sauce better than long strands—they become little pockets of flavor.
• Olive oil, 1 tablespoon: The base for your sauce; good oil makes a real difference in how clean the tomatoes taste.
• Garlic, 2 cloves minced: Let it sizzle until fragrant but never brown, or it turns bitter and ruins the whole sauce.
• Crushed tomatoes, 400g canned: The backbone of these cups; I prefer San Marzano when I can get them, but any crushed variety works beautifully.
• Dried Italian herbs, 1 teaspoon: A shortcut that genuinely works here; crush them between your palms before adding to wake up their flavor.
• Salt and black pepper: Taste as you go—you need less than you think once the cheese gets involved.
• Ricotta cheese, 250g: Creamy and mild, it becomes the tender surprise inside each cup when you bite through the crispy mozzarella.
• Parmesan cheese, 60g grated: Sharp and salty; this is what keeps the ricotta mixture from tasting flat.
• Egg, 1 large: The binder that keeps your ricotta mixture from collapsing when you unmold the cups.
• Fresh basil, 2 tablespoons chopped: Optional but worth adding if you have it fresh; it brightens everything right at the end.
• Mozzarella cheese, 150g shredded: The crown on each cup, the part that gets golden and bubbly and makes you want to eat it immediately.
• Nonstick cooking spray: This is not optional—these cups will stick if you're not careful.

Instructions

Get everything ready:

Preheat your oven to 190°C and spray every cup of your muffin tin, including the spaces between them. This single step saves you heartbreak later.

Cook the pasta right:

Boil your ziti in salted water until it's just barely al dente—it should still have a whisper of resistance when you bite it. You're not eating it plain, so it'll continue cooking in the oven.

Build your sauce:

Heat oil over medium heat, add garlic, and listen for it to sizzle softly. After about a minute, pour in your tomatoes, herbs, salt, and pepper, then let it bubble gently for five minutes—you want the flavors to get to know each other.

Mix the cheese filling:

Combine ricotta, Parmesan, your egg, basil if using, and salt in a bowl. Stir until you have something smooth and creamy that smells like Italy.

Combine pasta with sauce:

In a large bowl, toss your drained, slightly cooled pasta with half the tomato sauce and half the mozzarella. This creates your base layer, already rich with flavor before it even hits the tin.

Layer like you mean it:

Divide half your pasta mixture among the muffin cups, pressing gently so each cup gets full. Top each with a generous spoonful of ricotta mixture, then add the remaining pasta on top. This creates those surprise pockets of creaminess.

Finish and bake:

Spoon the remaining tomato sauce over each cup and top with what's left of your mozzarella. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and the edges are starting to crisp.

Release and serve:

Let the cups cool in the tin for five minutes, then run a knife around each one to loosen it. They should lift out like golden little gifts.

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My daughter once described eating these cups as "pasta that doesn't need a plate," and honestly, that became the whole reason I keep making them. It transformed dinner from something you sit down for into something you can eat while laughing with your hands free.

Why These Cups Beat a Traditional Baking Dish

When you make baked ziti in a flat dish, you get the same thing in every serving—corners that crisp up, centers that stay soft, and no real surprise. But these cups? Each one is its own little world. You get that crackling mozzarella crust, then creamy ricotta inside, then tender pasta soaked in tomato sauce. It's textural, it's exciting, and it forces you to slow down because you can't just scoop and go.

Making Them Ahead (The Real Life-Changer)

These freeze beautifully after baking, which means you can make a full batch on a quiet weekend and eat them all week without thinking. Reheat them in a 160°C oven for about 15 minutes until they're warm again, and they taste almost as fresh as the day you made them. I've also assembled them completely without baking, covered them in plastic wrap, and frozen them unbaked—they just need a few extra minutes in the oven when you want them.

Playing With Flavors

The beauty of this recipe is how willing it is to bend. Add crispy Italian sausage or ground beef to your sauce if you want heartier cups, or stir spinach into your ricotta for something verdant and spring-like. I've even tried mixing sun-dried tomatoes into the cheese layer, and it changed everything in the best way. Once you understand the structure—pasta, sauce, cheese, repeat—you can make it completely your own.

• Brown a small amount of sausage and fold it into the tomato sauce for a meat-lovers version.
• Stir fresh spinach or pesto into your ricotta mixture to add color and complexity.
• Scatter fresh mozzarella on top instead of shredded, and it creates pockets of molten cheese when it melts.

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There's something deeply satisfying about making something practical that also happens to be delicious. These cups are that thing—a real solution to the problem of wanting to eat dinner while also living your life, and they taste so good you'll forget they were born out of chaos.

Recipe Questions & Answers

→ What pasta works best for these cups?

Short tubular pastas like ziti or rigatoni hold the layers well and fit perfectly in muffin tins for individual portions.

→ Can I prepare these ahead of time?

Yes, assemble the cups and refrigerate before baking. They also freeze well for easy reheating later.

→ How do I prevent sticking to the muffin tin?

Lightly spraying the muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray ensures easy removal after baking.

→ Are there alternatives to ricotta cheese?

Alternatives such as cottage cheese or mascarpone can be used for a different texture and flavor profile.

→ What spices enhance the tomato sauce?

Dried Italian herbs like oregano and basil blend well, while garlic adds depth and aroma to the sauce.