Description
A comforting and cheesy baked ziti dish with savory sausage.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ziti pasta
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cook ziti pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, cook the Italian sausage over medium-high heat until browned. Drain off excess fat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, beaten egg, and Parmesan cheese.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked ziti, the sausage and tomato sauce mixture, and half of the mozzarella cheese. Stir to combine.
- Spread half of the ziti mixture into a 9×13 inch baking dish. Dollop spoonfuls of the ricotta mixture over the ziti. Top with the remaining ziti mixture.
- Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese over the top.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- For a spicier dish, use hot Italian sausage.
- You can add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce for extra heat.
- Fresh basil can be used instead of dried for a brighter flavor.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 45 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6th of casserole
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 1200mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
Keywords: baked ziti, sausage, cheesy, pasta, Italian, comfort food, dinner, casserole