Baked Ziti with Sausage

5 from 2 votes

Baked ziti with sausage, three types of cheese, and homemade marinara sauce is a classic pasta bake that's pure comfort food!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword baked ziti recipe, Baked Ziti with Ricotta, Baked Ziti with Sausage

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Total Time 50

Servings people

Calories 617kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

1 lb. dry ziti pasta
1 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¾ cup dry red wine
2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
8 ounces (about 2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
¼ cup chopped fresh basil, plus extra for garnish
½ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook ziti according to package instructions for very al dente, about 9 minutes. (It will continue to cook in the oven, so you want to undercook the pasta just a bit.) Drain; set aside.
Preheat the oven to 425°F and set the oven rack in the middle position.
Meanwhile, cook sausage in a 12-inch cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage from the skillet and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve 1 tablespoon of drippings in the skillet and drain off the rest (if you don't have enough fat in the skillet, add a tablespoon of olive oil).
Add the garlic and red pepper to the drippings in the skillet; cook over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add wine; bring to a boil, and use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan (these add tons of flavor to your sauce). Cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, salt and sugar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Stir in cooked sausage, cooked pasta, 1 cup of mozzarella, and the basil.
Add dollops of ricotta and stir gently to swirl, leaving streaks and pockets of ricotta throughout. Top with remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and the Parmesan.
Transfer skillet to the oven and bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted, about 15-20 minutes. Garnish with additional basil and serve.

Video

Notes

Undercook the pasta slightly, because it will continue to cook while it bakes in the oven. You don't want to end up with overdone, mushy ziti. I typically boil the pasta for 1 minute less than recommended on the box for al dente. For instance, if my box of ziti suggests 10-11 minutes for al dente, I boil the pasta for 9 minutes.
This recipe has plenty of sauce to keep the baked ziti from drying out. You can also cover the top with plenty of shredded cheese to lock in the moisture, and be careful that you don't bake the casserole for too long. Since all of the ingredients are already cooked and your cast iron skillet is already hot, the dish will only need about 15 minutes in the oven.
Use whole milk ricotta for the best flavor and texture. Don't stir the ricotta in completely — a few streaks and little cheesy pockets throughout are delicious!
Bake the ziti uncovered so that the cheese on top turns brown and the edges get crispy.
Fresh herbs really brighten up a warm, cozy casserole. I love to garnish with parsley, basil, oregano or thyme. Some extra grated Parmesan on top is also a great touch!
If you don't have a 12-inch cast iron skillet or a large Dutch oven, you can transfer the pasta mixture to a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish before baking.
Don't have ziti pasta on hand? You can substitute with penne pasta.
Add baby spinach to the sauce. It will wilt almost instantly and blend into the casserole.
Use ground beef or ground turkey instead of the Italian sausage. Since you will be missing the extra flavor boost from the herbs and seasonings in the sausage, you might want to add some extra herbs and seasonings to the sauce.
Vegetarian Baked Ziti: For a vegetarian 3-cheese baked ziti, omit the sausage! The rest of the recipe will still be delicious.
Cooking for a smaller family? Cut the ingredients in half and bake the ziti in an 8-inch square dish. Alternatively, you can prepare the full recipe, but divide the ingredients between two 8-inch square dishes. Bake one for now, and freeze the other for later!

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