Baked Ziti

4.45 from 287 votes

Recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod

This easy Baked Ziti is made with ziti pasta, Italian sausage, marinara sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese. It makes a big 9×13-inch pan and is perfect for family dinner, feeding a crowd, or making ahead.

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Total Time55

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: baked pasta, baked ziti, pasta, sausage

Servings:

Calories: 528kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

16 oz ziti or penne pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling over pasta
1 pound Italian sausage
32 oz marinara sauce
15 oz ricotta cheese
1 large egg
2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
3/4 cups shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Dash of crushed red pepper flakes, optional
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
For garnish: chopped basil, if desired

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9x13-baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Use a colander to drain well. Drizzle pasta with a little olive oil and stir so it doesn’t stick together. Pour the pasta into a large bowl and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until it is no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes. Discard the excess fat and set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta, egg, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, basil, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the ricotta mixture to the pasta. Add the marinara sauce, cooked sausage, and stir until combined, stirring gently to not break up the pasta noodles.
Pour the pasta into the prepared pan and top with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and the pasta is bubbly. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired, and serve warm.

Notes

Pasta: You can use ziti or penne for this recipe. Cook the pasta just until al dente since it will continue cooking in the oven.
Sausage: I use mild Italian sausage, but hot Italian sausage can be used if you like a little heat.
Make ahead: Assemble the baked ziti up to 2 days ahead, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
Freezing: Baked ziti can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Storage: Store leftover baked ziti in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition