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Baked Ziti With Alfredo Sauce

This baked ziti swaps the traditional red sauce for Alfredo, giving you a rich, creamy white version of the classic dish with pockets of ricotta layered through the middle and a golden mozzarella top.

WHITE BAKED ZITI

Baked Ziti With Alfredo Sauce

Baked ziti made with Alfredo sauce, ricotta, and mozzarella for a rich, creamy white version of the classic dish.

Prep20 minutes
Cook40 minutes
Total60 minutes
Serves8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ziti, cooked al dente
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 15 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  2. Make Alfredo sauce: melt butter, cook garlic 1 minute, add cream and simmer 4 minutes, whisk in Parmesan until smooth, season with half the salt and pepper. Make it slightly thinner than usual.
  3. Mix ricotta, egg, remaining salt, and parsley in a bowl.
  4. In a large bowl, toss the cooked ziti with two thirds of the Alfredo sauce and half the mozzarella.
  5. Transfer half the pasta mixture to the baking dish.
  6. Drop spoonfuls of the ricotta mixture over the pasta.
  7. Top with the remaining pasta mixture.
  8. Pour the remaining Alfredo sauce over the top and scatter the remaining mozzarella.
  9. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes until bubbly and golden.
  10. Rest 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

The pasta must be cooked al dente before baking, not fully cooked. It finishes in the oven and will turn mushy if you start with fully cooked pasta.
Layer the ricotta in the middle rather than mixing it throughout. This gives you pockets of creamy ricotta as you serve it instead of a uniform texture throughout.

Why This Works as a Baked Dish

Baking Alfredo sauce concentrates it and melds it with the ricotta and mozzarella in a way you cannot replicate on the stovetop. The end result is a cohesive, creamy bake rather than just pasta with sauce on top. The key is making the Alfredo slightly thinner than you would for stovetop pasta, since it thickens further in the oven as it absorbs into the pasta and cheese.

The Layering Technique

Adding the ricotta as spoonfuls in a middle layer rather than mixing it throughout gives you a more interesting texture. You get creamy pockets of ricotta alongside the sauced pasta and bubbled cheese on top, which is more satisfying than a uniform blend throughout.

Make Ahead

Assemble up to a day ahead, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Bake from cold adding 10 to 15 extra minutes. You can also freeze it before baking for up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.

Related Recipes

For more Alfredo sauce baked dishes, our Alfredo sauce casserole and Alfredo sauce for lasagna pages cover two more full oven bakes.

Can I use a different pasta shape?

Yes, penne, rigatoni, and mostaccioli all work well since they are all tube shapes that hold the sauce in their centers.

Can I add meat to this?

Yes, cooked Italian sausage or shredded chicken can be added to the pasta and sauce mixture before baking. Add about 1 to 1.5 cups of cooked meat.

How do I know when it is done?

The top should be golden and the sauce should be visibly bubbling around the edges. If the top is browning too fast before it is bubbling, cover loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.