Description
A delicious baked ziti recipe featuring Italian sausage, ricotta cheese, and marinara sauce, topped with melted mozzarella and Parmesan.
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, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and spray baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, drain, and drizzle with olive oil.
- In a large sauté pan, cook Italian sausage until no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Drain excess fat.
- In a medium bowl, mix ricotta, egg, 1 cup mozzarella, ½ cup Parmesan, chopped basil, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper.
- Add the ricotta mixture to the cooked pasta and fold in marinara sauce and cooked sausage gently.
- Transfer the pasta mixture to the baking dish, top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until cheese is golden brown and bubbly.
- Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving; garnish with fresh basil if desired.
Notes
- This dish can be made ahead of time and refrigerated before baking.
- Customize by adding vegetables or different types of cheese, if desired.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 90mg