Description
This Easy Baked Ziti is a classic Italian-American comfort food dish that’s perfect for a satisfying weeknight meal. It features layers of tender ziti pasta, a flavorful meat sauce, and a creamy ricotta cheese mixture, all topped with melted mozzarella cheese.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage (sweet, mild, or hot)
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 oz tomato paste
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning blend
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 lb ziti pasta
- 1/2 tablespoon salt (for pasta water)
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 cup Italian cheese blend (or a mix of mozzarella and Parmesan)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 handful chopped parsley (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Brown Sausage and Sauté Onions: Brown the sausage in a large skillet or pot over medium heat until it’s brown and crispy on the edges. While the sausage is browning, finely dice the onion. Add the onion to the skillet once the sausage has browned, and continue to sauté over medium heat until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Make Sauce: Add the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and ½ cup water to the skillet with the sausage and stir to combine. Place a lid on the skillet and allow it to come up to a simmer. Once simmering, turn the heat down and allow it to continue to simmer while you cook the ziti. Stir the sauce occasionally as it simmers.
- Cook Pasta: After getting the sauce started, begin the ziti. Bring a large pot of water with ½ tablespoon salt to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the ziti, and let it continue to boil until tender (about 7-8 minutes). Drain the pasta in a colander.
- Make Cheese Filling: While the pasta and sauce are cooking, prepare the cheese filling. Add the ricotta, Italian cheese blend, and some freshly cracked black pepper to a bowl and stir to combine. Begin to preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: After draining the ziti, return it to the pot and add 1 cup of the red sauce. Stir to coat the cooked pasta in sauce.
- Layer Ingredients: Pour half of the ziti into a 9×13″ baking dish. Add half of the ricotta mixture on top of the pasta in small dollops. Finally, spoon half of the red sauce and sausage over the pasta and ricotta. Repeat these layers with the second half of the pasta, ricotta mixture, and sauce. Finally, top with 2 cups of shredded mozzarella.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish with foil, making sure it’s slightly tented so that it doesn’t touch or stick to the melted cheese. Transfer the covered casserole to the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
- Broil and Serve: After baking for 20 minutes, remove the foil, and turn the oven to broil. Broil for 5 minutes, or just until the cheese is slightly browned. Keep a close eye on the baked ziti as it broils. Top with chopped parsley, if desired, then serve.
Notes
- Cheese: You can use a mix of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese instead of the Italian cheese blend.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Serving
- Calories: 500kcal
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 5g
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
