Description
A comforting baked ziti dish layered with ziti pasta, savory Italian sausage, creamy ricotta, and gooey mozzarella cheese, all enveloped in rich marinara sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 oz ziti or penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 32 oz marinara sauce
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
- 3/4 cup 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
- Chopped basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the ziti or penne until al dente. Drain and drizzle with olive oil.
- In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat, add Italian sausage, and cook until browned. Drain excess fat.
- In a medium bowl, mix ricotta cheese, egg, 1 cup mozzarella, ½ cup Parmesan, basil, Italian seasoning, and seasoning to taste.
- Add the ricotta mixture to the pasta, pour in marinara sauce, and mix in the cooked sausage. Gently stir.
- Transfer to the prepared baking dish, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan on top.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.
- Let sit for 5 minutes before serving, garnished with chopped basil if desired.
Notes
Customize by adding more veggies or substituting cheese based on preference. Resting the dish post-baking helps it set for easier serving.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 60mg