Skillet Baked Ziti

4.41 from 5 votes

Simple and delicious pasta dish!

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: baked pasta, baked ziti, skillet pasta

Servings: servings

Preheat the oven to 475°F. Place the oven rack in the middle position.
Combine the oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and ½ teaspoon salt in 12-inch oven-safe skillet (I use a cast-iron) and sauté over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, water, pasta, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring often and adjusting heat as needed to maintain a vigorous simmer, until the pasta is almost tender, 15 to 18 minutes.
Stir in the cream, Parmesan and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over the pasta. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the cheese has melted and browned, about 10 minutes. Serve.

*If your skillet is not oven-safe, transfer the pasta mixture into a shallow 2-quart casserole dish before sprinkling with the cheese and baking.
*To make a smaller portion of this pasta: use a 10-inch oven-safe skillet to saute 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, 3 cloves minced garlic, a pinch of red pepper flakes & a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Add one (14.5 ounce) can chopped tomatoes with garlic, oregano & basil + 1 1/2 cups of water and 6 ounces of pasta. Bring to a boil, cover; reduce to simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream and 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and bake for about 8 minutes at 475 degrees F. until bubbling and lightly browned. This smaller portion will serve 3 to 4.