Description
This ultimate baked ziti recipe combines the comfort of Italian tradition with the convenience of American casserole cooking. With its layers of perfectly cooked pasta, rich meat sauce, and three types of melted cheese, it’s a dish that brings families together around the dinner table.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb uncooked ziti or penne pasta
- 1 lb Italian sausage (sweet or hot)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4–5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- Fresh black pepper to taste
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 8 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Fresh parsley and/or basil for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Boil salted water for pasta.
- Cook ziti 2-3 minutes less than package directions (just shy of al dente). Drain and set aside.
- Brown sausage in a large pot, 7-10 minutes, breaking apart as it cooks.
- Add garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, cream, salt, pepper, and sugar. Simmer 5 minutes.
- Add pasta to sauce, tossing to coat. Transfer half to a 9×13 dish. Add dollops of ricotta.
- Top with remaining pasta, sprinkle with Parmesan and mozzarella.
- Bake uncovered 20 minutes until bubbly. Broil briefly for golden-brown topping. Rest 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Cook pasta slightly under al dente since it will finish in the oven. Always use fresh-grated cheese for best melting. Let ziti rest before serving for clean slices.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Pasta, Comfort Food
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 557
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 1016mg
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 51g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 39g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: baked ziti, pasta casserole, comfort food, Italian-American recipes, cheesy pasta bake