Description
This Easy Baked Ziti is a comforting Italian-American casserole featuring ziti pasta tossed with a hearty sausage and tomato sauce, layered with creamy ricotta cheese, and topped with gooey mozzarella and Parmesan. Baked until golden and bubbly, it makes a perfect family-friendly weeknight dinner or a crowd-pleasing dish for gatherings.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
Sauce
- 28 ounces pasta sauce or marinara sauce
- 14.5 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juices (1 can)
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Pasta
- 16 ounces ziti
Cheese Mixture
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (divided: 1 cup for cheese mixture, 1 cup for topping)
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Optional Garnish
- Thinly sliced fresh basil leaves or chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Dish: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray to prevent sticking.
- Cook Sausage and Onions: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the Italian sausage and diced onion together, breaking up the sausage with a spoon until fairly fine and fully cooked. Drain any excess fat to keep the sauce from becoming greasy.
- Simmer Sauce: Add the pasta sauce, canned diced tomatoes with their juices, water, and Italian seasoning to the skillet. Stir well and simmer uncovered for 12 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook Pasta: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain well to avoid excess water in the casserole.
- Mix Cheese Filling: In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, chopped parsley, 1 cup of shredded mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese until evenly mixed.
- Assemble the Casserole: Spread 1 cup of the sauce evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Layer half of the cooked ziti evenly on top of the sauce. Spread the entire ricotta cheese mixture over the ziti. Then, add half of the remaining sauce over the cheese layer.
- Finish Layering: Top the ricotta layer with the remaining half of the ziti, pour the remaining sauce over it, and sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese evenly on the very top.
- Bake: Bake the assembled dish uncovered in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbly, indicating hot and melted cheese and heated through layers.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Garnish with thinly sliced fresh basil leaves or additional chopped parsley if desired before serving.
Notes
- Substituting sausage with ground beef or turkey: Add 2 cloves of minced garlic and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning to the meat while cooking to enhance flavor.
- Add ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes to the sauce for a spicy kick.
- To prepare ahead: Assemble as directed but store 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese separately. Refrigerate tightly covered for up to 48 hours or freeze up to 4 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking. Remove from fridge 30 minutes prior to baking. Bake covered for 25 minutes, add cheese topping, then bake an additional 20-25 minutes until bubbly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 598
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 1257mg
- Fat: 27g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 97mg
