Description
This Baked Ziti recipe is a comforting and hearty Italian dish that’s perfect for gatherings or a cozy family dinner. With layers of pasta, savory Italian sausage, creamy cheeses, and flavorful marinara sauce, this baked ziti is sure to become a favorite in your recipe collection.
Ingredients
Pasta:
- 16 oz ziti or penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling over pasta
Sauce:
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 32 oz marinara sauce
Cheese Mixture:
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
- 3/4 cups shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Dash of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Garnish:
- Chopped basil (if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- Cook Pasta: Boil pasta until al dente. Drain, drizzle with olive oil, and set aside.
- Cook Sausage: Brown Italian sausage in a pan, then drain and set aside.
- Prepare Cheese Mixture: Combine ricotta, egg, mozzarella, Parmesan, basil, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
- Combine Ingredients: Mix ricotta mixture with pasta, marinara sauce, and cooked sausage.
- Assemble: Transfer mixture to baking dish, top with remaining cheeses.
- Bake: Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden.
- Serve: Let it rest, garnish with basil, and serve hot.
Notes
- You can customize the recipe by adding more vegetables like bell peppers or mushrooms.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute the Italian sausage with plant-based crumbles.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 980mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 44g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
