Baked Ziti

5 from 2 ratings

from kristineskitchenblog.com

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.

Prep Time35

Cook Time1

Total Time1 35

Servings: servings

Calories: 525kcal

Author: Kristine Rosenblatt

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 13x9-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.

Video

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.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is only an estimate.