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Best Ricotta Cheese Stuffed Ziti Fritta Recipe

Ziti pasta is stuffed with five kinds of cheese and is deep-fried until crispy in this Olive Garden copycat. Serve it as an appetizer with a marinara dipping sauce.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 6

Ingredients

For the Pasta
  • 1/2 lb rigatoni or Ziti Pasta
  • water
  • salt
  • 1 tablespoon oil
For the Filling (5 cheeses)
  • 1/4 cup ricotta
  • 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 1/4 cup cream cheese softened
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese grated, plus more for serving
  • 1/4 cup Romano cheese shredded
For Frying
  • 2 large eggs beaten
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • oil for frying
Optional for Serving
  • marinara sauce
  • Alfredo sauce
  • chopped parsley

Instructions

Cook the Pasta
    Cup of Yum
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt.
  2. Add pasta and cook until al dente (2 minutes less than the recommended time from the package).
  3. Drain the pasta and add olive oil. Stir to coat. Set aside to cool.
Make the Filling & Stuff the Pasta
  1. While your pasta is cooking, you can make the filling. In a large bowl, add ricotta cheese, mozzarella, cream cheese, parmesan, and Romano cheese. Stir until combined.
  2. Spoon the cheese mixture into a zip-top bag. Seal the bag and cut the corner.
  3. Pipe the cheese mixture into one side of the rigatoni. Flip and pipe the other side to fill.
  4. Place the filled rigatoni pasta on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes.
Fry the Stuffed Pasta
  1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large pot until it reaches 350°F.
  2. Place eggs, flour, and bread crumbs into 3 separate bowls.
  3. Place a stuffed rigatoni into the flour to coat, then shake off excess flour. Dip it in the beaten egg with a fork. Then roll the rigatoni in bread crumbs to coat. Repeat with the rest of the rigatoni.
  4. Carefully lower 5-6 pieces of breaded rigatoni into the hot oil using a slotted spoon. Cook for about 3 minutes or until the cheeses just start to ooze out.
  5. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels using a slotted spoon. Repeat with the rest of the rigatoni.
  6. Sprinkle with parmesan and optional chopped parsley. Serve with marinara sauce or Alfredo sauce.

Notes

  • It’s best to use Rigatoni pasta as it’s shorter and wider than ziti.
  • Make sure the cream cheese is softened before mixing.
  • Cook extra pasta in case some rip and break apart.