Description
This hearty Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage is the ultimate comfort food. Layers of tender pasta, savory sausage, rich marinara, and creamy cheese come together in one bubbly, golden dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ziti pasta
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
- 4 cups marinara sauce
- 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Boil ziti in salted water until just under al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil and sauté onion for 3–4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add sausage, breaking it up and cooking until browned.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, sausage mixture, marinara, oregano, and half the mozzarella. Mix well.
- Layer half the pasta in the baking dish. Dollop with ricotta, sprinkle with mozzarella, then repeat layers. Top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15–20 minutes until bubbly and golden.
- Let rest for 10 minutes, garnish with fresh basil, and serve.
Notes
- Use whole milk ricotta for creamier texture.
- Drain sausage fat to avoid greasy layers.
- Let dish rest before serving for clean slices.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 1020mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 49g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 29g
- Cholesterol: 70mg