Baked Ziti

This amazing Baked Ziti recipe is layered with Italian sausage, ricotta cheese, sweet marinara sauce, and plenty of mozzarella.  It is just as decadent as lasagna without all the fuss. Serve this dish with a simple garden salad and crusty French bread. It is an easy friend and family favorite and serves quite a crowd.  No worries if you don’t have a big crowd to feed because leftovers heat up like a dream.

School is right around the corner, and with it brings lots and lots of activity.  This yummy Baked Ziti pasta dish is prepared in a few simple steps making it ideal for busy families.  So easy that even your tween or teens could pitch in and lend a helping hand.  It is a full meal in and of itself!  But if it is a special occasion or I am entertaining an extra large crowd, I like to serve it with Italian Chopped Salad with Fresh Italian Dressing and Cheese Garlic Bread.

How to make Baked Ziti

Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to boil.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown your ground Italian sausage breaking it up as you go.  Then add the chopped onion and cook for a few minutes.  Next, reduce the heat, add the garlic, dried oregano, and basil, and cook for an additional minute.  Then drain any excess grease and add the marinara, letting it simmer for about 10 minutes.

Once the water boils, cook your pasta al dente and drain well. Now in a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella, parsley, black pepper, and egg.

In a large baking dish, spread a thin layer of the sauce, then top with half of the ziti pasta. Next, top with half of the sauce and the ricotta cheese. Then top with the remaining pasta and the rest of the sauce.  Now sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella.  Finally, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or fresh basil.

Tips and recipe notes for Baked Ziti

• Cook the ziti pasta al dente which means slightly firm.  Pasta packaging includes cooking times for firm noodles. The pasta is baked, and no one wants soggy noodles.
• Rigatoni or penne pasta can be substituted for ziti pasta.  
• Purchase good quality Italian sausage.  My butcher sells it freshly ground and mixed with fresh spices. It adds such great flavor.
• If desired, you can substitute ground beef or ground turkey. Just add 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning. 
• Drain any excess grease from the sausage.  It takes just a minute, and it is healthier.
• I use my favorite jarred marinara, but any good quality red pasta or tomato sauce will work as well.  If you have the time, homemade marinara sauce is even better.
• Always use good quality mozzarella cheese and Parmesan Cheese.  Freshly shredded and grated cheese adds so much flavor without any added preservatives or anti-clumping ingredients.
• Vegetables to consider adding are sautéed mushrooms, broccoli, kale, or spinach.
• Do not overbake the pasta, as you do not want to dry it out.  Cook just until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power.

Baked Ziti Recipe variations:

• Chicken Baked Ziti: Substitute cooked ground or cooked cubed chicken for the Italian sausage. Rotisserie chicken is excellent for this because it is flavor packed.
• Vegetarian Baked Ziti: Omit sausage and add a can of fire-roasted tomatoes and 10 ounces of thawed frozen spinach (well drained and chopped) to the sauce.  Sauteed zucchini and or yellow squash is also a delicious addition.
• Baked Ziti with Meatballs: Substitute 1 – 1 1/2 pounds of fresh or frozen meatballs in place of the Italian sausage.  Brown them in the skillet, then add the onion and other spices as directed.  Simmer in the marinara.

More pasta recipes

Baked Ziti

This Baked Ziti pasta casserole is loaded with Italian Sausage, marinara, ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese all baked to a hot luscious gooey delight.  Serve with a simple garden salad and crusty French bread.

5 from 44 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: main meal pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 652kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 1 small onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 32 ounces marinara sauce or pasta sauce
• kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pound ziti pasta
• 15 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian Parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 egg
• Chopped fresh parsley or basil

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Bring a pot of water to a boil.
• In a large sauté pan over medium heat brown the Italian sausage breaking it up as you go.  Add the chopped onion; cook for 3-4 minutes.  Reduce heat, add garlic, dried oregano and basil; cook for 1 minute.  Drain any excess grease.  Add the marinara sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.  Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
• Once the water boils cook pasta al dente and drain well. In a medium bowl stir together the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, parsley, black pepper, and the egg.
• In a 13 x 9 inch casserole dish spread a thin layer of the sauce mixture.  Top with half of the ziti pasta. Then top with half of the sauce mixture and the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with the remaining pasta and the rest of the sauce.  Top with the remaining mozzarella.
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or fresh basil. 

Notes

• Cook the ziti pasta al dente which means slightly firm.  Pasta packaging includes cooking times for firm noodles.  This is advised as the pasta will be baked and no on wants soggy noodles.
• Purchase good quality Italian sausage.  My butcher sells it freshly ground and mixed with fresh spices. It adds such great flavor.
• Drain any excess grease from the sausage.  It takes just a minute and it is healthier.
• I use my favorite jarred marinara but any good quality red pasta sauce will work as well.  If you have the time homemade is even better.
• Always use good quality mozzarella and Parmesan.  Freshly shredded and grated cheese adds so much flavor without any added preservatives or anti-clumping ingredients.
• Do not over bake the pasta as you do not want to dry it out.  Cook just until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Nutrition

Calories: 652kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 1294mg | Potassium: 732mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1046IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 356mg | Iron: 3mg

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