This Baked Ziti is a family favorite! It’s made with Italian sausage, ricotta and mozzarella cheese, then baked in the oven until hot and bubbly. This delicious pasta recipe is perfect for Sunday dinner or entertaining.

I love to serve this baked ziti with Garlic Bread or Garlic Knots and a big Italian Salad. Everyone always goes back for seconds!

Baked ziti in baking dish with serving spoon.

Cheesy Baked Ziti with Sausage

Like my classic lasagna recipe, this baked ziti is one of my favorites for feeding a crowd. I’ve made it for dinner guests and also to share with friends who have had a new baby. In fact, one of the things I love most about this recipe (besides how delicious it is!), is that it works so well as a make ahead meal. You can assemble it up to 2 days before baking, or even longer if you plan to store it in the freezer.

The Best Baked Ziti

Baked ziti is a flavorful Italian pasta dish, made with ziti pasta, meat sauce and cheese. To make the best baked ziti, you want to boil the pasta until it is just barely al dente so that it finishes cooking in the oven, soaking up some of the savory sauce as it bakes. Rather than ground beef, baked ziti is typically made with Italian sausage, which makes the ziti especially flavorful and hearty.

Serving of baked ziti on a plate.

This baked ziti turned out perfect. Thank you for the detailed instructions.

Joan

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients for baked ziti recipe with labels.
  • Ziti Pasta: Ziti pasta is a tube shaped pasta. It’s smooth on the outside and hollow in the center. If you can’t find ziti pasta, you can substitute penne pasta or rigatoni.
  • Italian Sausage: Italian sausage adds so much flavor to this baked pasta! Feel free to use turkey or chicken sausage. If you substitute ground beef, the baked ziti will not be as flavorful.
  • Olive Oil: For sautéing the onion.
  • Onion & Garlic: For flavor.
  • Marinara Sauce: I usually use store-bought marinara sauce when I make this dish to save time. My homemade Marinara Sauce also works well in this recipe.
  • Seasonings: I use Italian seasoning, dried basil, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes to make this baked ziti extra flavorful. The red pepper flakes are optional but highly recommended for a touch of heat.
  • Ricotta Cheese: A classic baked ziti ingredient, the ricotta adds creaminess to the pasta bake.
  • Mozzarella Cheese: It is best to buy a ball of mozzarella cheese and shred it yourself, as the pre-shredded cheese that you can buy at the store doesn’t melt as smoothly.
  • Parmesan Cheese: Grated Parmesan cheese adds another layer of cheesy flavor!

You may also want to have some fresh basil or fresh parsley on hand for garnishing the baked ziti when you serve it. Fresh herbs add a pop of color and flavor.

Find the full printable recipe with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.

How to Make Baked Ziti

Cook the pasta. I like to cook it in salted water to flavor the pasta from the start. Then drain it, but do not rinse.

Make the meat sauce. Sauté the onion. Then add the sausage and cook, crumbling the sausage, until it’s browned. Stir in the garlic, followed by the marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, dried basil, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Simmer the sauce for 10-15 minutes to develop the flavors.

Seasonings added to browned sausage and onion in skillet.
Meat sauce in skillet.

Assemble. Spread 1 cup of sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. Stir ⅔ of the remaining sauce into the pasta in the pot. Transfer half of the saucy pasta to the baking dish. Add spoonfuls of the ricotta cheese over the top of the pasta, then sprinkle on ⅓ of the shredded mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Finally, spread the remaining pasta in an even layer on top of the cheese. Top with the remaining meat sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan.

Spoonfuls of ricotta cheese added on top of pasta layer.
Ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses added on top of pasta layer.
Dish of ziti ready to go in oven.

Bake at 350° F, covered with foil, for 35 minutes. Then uncover and bake for 10-15 more minutes.

Make Ahead Instructions

You can make baked ziti ahead and then refrigerate it for up to 2 days or freeze it for up to 3 months before baking. Be sure to let it cool completely before putting it in the freezer. Wrap the dish airtight with plastic wrap (or cover it with a lid if you have one that fits tightly). Thaw frozen baked ziti for 24 hours in the refrigerator before baking. Plan to add about 15-20 minutes to the covered bake time if baking ziti that is cold from the refrigerator.

To Store, Freeze and Reheat

One of the best things about this recipe is the leftovers! Over time, the flavors will meld together so it tastes even better on the second and third day. To store and reheat:

  • Refrigerator: Store leftover baked ziti in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. 
  • To Freeze: Let leftovers cool completely and then store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. I like to freeze individual portions for easy thawing and reheating. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
  • To Reheat: The easiest way to reheat individual portions of baked ziti is in the microwave. You can also reheat it in a covered dish in a 350° F oven.
Baked ziti in baking dish garnished with fresh basil.

More Favorite Pasta Recipes

Baked ziti in baking dish with serving spoon.
5 from 2 ratings

Baked Ziti

Servings: 10 servings
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
This baked ziti is cheesy, comforting and full of flavor! It's made with Italian sausage, marinara sauce, ziti pasta and three kinds of cheese, then baked in the oven until it's hot and bubbly. This recipe is perfect for a make ahead meal – find make ahead and freezing instructions in the notes below.
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Ingredients

  • 1 pound ziti pasta, or penne pasta
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 1 pound Italian sausage, I used mild
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 48 ounces marinara sauce, store-bought or homemade marinara
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1-2 pinches red pepper flakes, optional
  • 15 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese*
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350° F.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente. Drain the pasta (do not rinse) and return it to the empty pot.
  • Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
  • If the sausage is in casings, remove it from the casings. Add the sausage to the skillet. Crumble and cook the sausage until it browns, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
  • Add the marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, dried basil, black pepper and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook the sauce for 10-15 minutes.
  • Remove the skillet from the heat and spoon 1 cup of sauce into the bottom of a 13×9-inch baking dish and spread evenly across the bottom of the dish. Gently stir ⅔ of the remaining sauce into the pasta in the pot. Transfer half of the saucy pasta to the baking dish and spread it out into an even layer.
  • Dollop spoonfuls of the ricotta cheese over the top of the pasta in the baking dish. Sprinkle on ⅓ of the shredded mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.
  • Spread the remaining pasta in an even layer on top of the cheese. Top with the remaining meat sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan.
  • Spray one side of a sheet of foil with cooking spray and use it to cover the baking dish, cooking spray side down (to prevent the cheese from sticking to the foil).
  • Bake, covered, for 35 minutes. Then uncover and bake for 10-15 minutes more, until the casserole is hot and bubbly and the cheese on top is golden brown. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Mozzarella: Do not use pre-shredded mozzarella cheese because it may not melt smoothly. It is best to buy a ball of low moisture mozzarella (not fresh mozzarella) and shred it using a box grater.
  • Make Ahead Instructions: You can assemble the baked ziti and then refrigerate it for up to 2 days or freeze it for up to 3 months before baking. Be sure to let it cool completely before putting it in the freezer. Wrap the dish airtight with plastic wrap (or cover it with a lid if you have one that fits tightly). Thaw frozen baked ziti for 24 hours in the refrigerator before baking. Plan to add about 15-20 minutes to the covered bake time if baking ziti that is cold from the refrigerator.
  • Store leftover baked ziti in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Calories: 525kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 74mg, Sodium: 1210mg, Potassium: 721mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 944IU, Vitamin C: 12mg, Calcium: 266mg, Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Cuisine: Italian
Course: Main Course
Tried this recipe?Mention @kristines_kitchen on Instagram or tag #kristineskitchenblog.

I originally shared this recipe March 2022. Updated September 2024.

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