This Italian Sausage Baked Ziti is an easy and delicious twist on the classic! Cheesy and loaded with meaty flavor, it’s the perfect comforting dinner!Recipe can be scaled up or down by using the slider if you hover your mouse over the number of Servings.
OptionalGarnishes:Fresh Basil and/or Parsley, Mini Pepperoni, Grated Parmesan
Serving Suggestions:Garlic Bread Dinner Rolls, or Crusty Bread
Instructions
Soak the Pasta: Place the pasta in a large bowl and add enough lukewarm water to cover the pasta completely. Season generously with salt. Set the pasta aside and let stand on the counter for 50 minutes.
Meanwhile, Start the Sauce: Heat the oil in a large pot or large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until almost softened, about 3 minutes. Add in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add Sausage: Increase heat to medium-high and add in the italian sausage. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up the sausage with the back of a wooden spoon, until browned. Add the oregano, paprika, basil and tomato paste to the meat and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes, or until the tomato paste is slightly caramelized. (Tip: If necessary drain off some of the fat, leaving the meat and vegetables in the skillet, before adding in the seasonings.)
Add Tomatoes and Simmer: Add in the crushed tomatoes and sugar. Bring to a rapid simmer and immediately reduce heat to maintain simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 12-15 minutes, or until sauce is thickened. Taste sauce and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and let cool while you prepare the filling and drain the pasta.
Make Ricotta Mixture: In a small bowl, stir together the ricotta with ¼ cup of parmesan, the nutmeg and 1/8 tsp of salt. Set aside
Drain the Pasta in a colander and return to the large bowl. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Add Sauce to Pasta: Add half of the sauce (about 2 ¼ cups) to the drained pasta and stir until the ziti noodles are well coated.
Fold in the Ricotta: Add the ricotta mixture to the sauced pasta and gently fold it in, making sure to leave large pockets of ricotta throughout.
Assemble Ziti: Lightly spray a large casserole dish (9 x 13’’) with non-stick cooking spray. Add half of the pasta mixture to the casserole dish and gently spread in an even layer. Sprinkle half of the remaining parmesan (1/4 cup) and half of the mozzarella (1 cup) on top. Layer on the half of the pepperoni (1/3 cup). Top with the rest of the pasta mixture and spread it out in an even layer. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the top. Top with the rest of the pepperoni. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
Bake Ziti Covered: Cover the baking dish loosely with foil and bake on the middle shelf in the oven for 15 minutes. Uncover and Continue to Bake: Remove foil and continue to bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and golden.
Let Ziti Cool Slightly: Remove the casserole from the oven to a wire rack and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle fresh basil and/or parsley, grated parmesan, and crushed red pepper flakes over the top of the baked Italian sausage ziti. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Pro-tip for preparing ziti: Don’t pre-cook the pasta! Boiling pasta can cause the noodles in the ziti to be sad and overcooked! Instead, soak the pasta in lukewarm water! This easy trick ensures the pasta in the baked ziti isn’t over- or undercooked. Just make sure you season the water generously with salt! To save time, soak the pasta first, and then proceed to gather and prep all of your ingredients.
Sausage: While I used Italian ground sausage in this baked ziti recipe, you can use Italian sausage links. Or, you can use your favorite type of ground sausage! If using links, be sure to remove the sausages from their casings before proceeding with the recipe.
Fold ricotta: Make sure you gently fold ricotta into the sauced pasta. Folding, versus stirring, is essential for pockets of creamy, cheesy baked ziti goodness!
Seasoning: Be sure to generously season everything with salt and pepper. Since there are a lot of different components to baked ziti, it is important to season each element properly to taste!
Rest ziti: Allow baked ziti to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving! Allowing the baked pasta to rest before serving gives the sauce a chance to settle into all the nooks and crannies of the pasta!
To assemble in advance: Assemble the ziti according to recipe directions. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in advance. Or, cover tightly with plastic wrap and then foil and freeze. Assembled (unbaked) ziti will keep in freezer for up to 1 month.
To bake refrigerated ziti: Preheat oven to 425 F. Bake, covered for 25 -30 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and ziti is heated through.
To bake frozen ziti: Allow ziti to thaw in the refrigerator (this can take up to 2 days). Unwrap and discard the plastic wrap and recover with greased aluminum foil. Follow instructions above for baking refrigerated ziti.
Recipe Yield: enough servings for 6-8 people, depending upon appetite.
Nutritional information is an estimate based upon 8 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.