Baked Ziti with Sausage
This Easy Baked Ziti recipe with sausage and ricotta is always a crowd-pleaser! It's a hearty and filling Italian casserole packed with flavor.
Equipment
- 6-quart Dutch Oven or a large skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450 g) dried ziti pasta
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
- 1 pound (450 g) Italian sausage mild or spicy
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 24 ounces (710 ml) marinara
- 14 ounces (400 g) canned diced tomatoes
- ½ cup (120 ml) water
- 2 teaspoons italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 15 ounces (425 g) ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups (224 g) shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup (43 g) shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C or 160°C for a fan oven), and lightly grease a 9x13-inch (33x22 cm) baking dish.
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium high heat, add the italian sausage and onion, and cook breaking the sausage apart with a spatula until the sausage is browned (about 7-8 minutes).
- Drain excess fat if needed.
- Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute.
- Add marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, water, italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, half of the mozzarella cheese, parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Add about 2 cups of meat sauce to the ziti, and stir together.
- To the baking dish, add all of the ziti, spread the ricotta filling on top.
- Top with the remaining meat sauce, and remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Cover the casserole loosely with foil (make sure it’s not touching the cheese), and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, and bake for 10 more minutes. If the top is not slightly browned, place under the broiler for 2-5 minutes until it is golden.
- Garnish the baked ziti with fresh chopped parsley before serving if desired.
Notes
- Don't overcook the pasta: When making baked pasta, you should cook it just to al dente. The pasta will soften a bit more in the oven, so if it's overcooked to start with, you'll end up with mush.
- Make it ahead: You can prepare and assemble this baked ziti casserole and keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When you're ready, bake according to the instructions, but add at least 15 extra minutes to the baking time to account for the cold pasta.
- To Store: Once baked, store either the entire casserole or portions of it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for 4-5 days this way.
- To Freeze: You can freeze the entire casserole after you've baked it, or smaller portions if you like. Reheat in the oven either frozen or thawed. It will take 45-60 minutes to reheat fully.
Nutrition
Calories: 670kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 1449mg | Potassium: 745mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 945IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 373mg | Iron: 3mg
Find it online: https://littlesunnykitchen.com/baked-ziti-with-sausage/