Recipes Pasta and Noodles Pasta by Shape Recipes Ziti Recipes Nicole's Best Baked Ziti 5.0 (26) 25 Reviews 7 Photos For Sunday suppers, team dinners, or dinner drop-offs for a friend in need, this crowd-pleasing baked ziti with sausage is hearty, rich, and flavorful. Perfectly baked pasta absorbs flavor from the tangy tomato sauce, contrasting beautifully with the creamy ricotta mixture. This budget-friendly meal tastes like you spent all day making it! Serve alongside crusty bread, an Italian salad, and a glass of red wine. By Nicole McLaughlin Nicole McLaughlin Nicole McLaughlin produces the educational and entertaining food series from Allrecipes; You Can Cook That. She is known for her relatability with the home-cook audience. With over 20 years in the culinary world, she is able to effectively deliver a bounty of knowledge, with a side of sarcastic wit. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Updated on July 6, 2023 Save Rate Print Share Add Photo 7 7 7 7 Prep Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 50 mins Additional Time: 10 mins Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Servings: 8 Yield: 1 9x13-inch baked ziti Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe Baked ziti is hearty comfort food in a casserole dish. It's cheesy, meaty, and the right amount of saucy for a dish that the entire family will love. While sometimes it may seem easier to just grab a pre-made baked ziti from the grocery store, we're here to tell you to put that cold pasta dish down! You'll be missing out on all of the wholesome goodness that homemade baked ziti has to offer — and the homemade version is actually easy to make. The key to this recipe is the sauce and the cheese. Start with a store-bought marinara sauce (yes, it doesn't have to be all homemade) and beef it up by adding some fresh ingredients. Using your favorite store-bought pasta sauce will shorten your cooking time — and truthfully, no one will be able to tell after you add the onions, garlic, ground beef, ground sausage, and spices. The cheesy layers of baked ziti are very important. Nicole alternates between two cheese mixtures. The first is a creamy ricotta, Parmesan, egg, parsley, and basil mixture. The other is simply shredded mozzarella cheese One of the best parts about this dish is that it can be made ahead of time. You can assemble the entire baked ziti and then freeze it or refrigerate it for a few days before you're ready to bake it. When you're ready to bake, pop it in a 375-degree F oven and cook until it's golden-brown and bubbly. Editorial contributions by Bailey Fink Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1x 2x 4x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. Original recipe (1X) yields 8 servings 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 (16 ounce) package ziti pasta ¾ pound ground Italian sausage ¾ pound ground sirloin 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided ¾ teaspoon ground pepper, divided ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 2 (24 ounce) jars marinara sauce ½ cup water 1 (15 ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided 1 large egg 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil 1 ½ (8 ounce) packages mozzarella cheese, shredded Directions Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt to the boiling water and stir in pasta. Cook until just about tender to the bite, about 8 minutes (or 1 to 2 minutes less than package instructions). At the same time, heat a large, deep skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and beef and cook, crumbling with the back of a spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add onion, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and pepper flakes; cook until onion is translucent and softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain pasta and return to the pot. Add about 1/2 cup marinara; toss to coat and let sit until needed. Add remaining marinara sauce to the browned meat mixture. Pour 1/4 cup water into each jar, shake to release any leftover sauce in the jar, and pour into the skillet. Stir and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, egg, parsley, basil, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper together in a bowl. Add 2 cups meat sauce to the pasta; toss to coat. Spread 1/2 cup meat sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Add ½ of the pasta mixture and top with 2 cups meat sauce. Lightly dollop and spread ricotta mixture over the top and sprinkle evenly with 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese. Add remaining pasta mixture, remaining meat sauce, and remaining mozzarella on top. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Bake in the preheated oven until golden and bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Cook's Notes: The pasta is undercooked on the stove by about 2 minutes, so it doesn't get mushy during baking. It will cook to the perfect texture as it absorbs more sauce baking in the oven. You can use penne or rigatoni instead of ziti. Remember to cook for 1 to 2 minutes less than what the box calls for. Try Rao's® homemade marinara sauce for a slow-cooked flavor. To make ahead, complete through Step 8. Wrap and freeze or refrigerate until ready to bake. Bake time will be doubled for refrigerated dish. If you freeze it, thaw in the refrigerator for 8 hours to overnight before baking. I Made It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 808 Calories 37g Fat 70g Carbs 46g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 8 Calories 808 % Daily Value * Total Fat 37g 48% Saturated Fat 17g 86% Cholesterol 146mg 49% Sodium 1701mg 74% Total Carbohydrate 70g 26% Dietary Fiber 7g 23% Protein 46g 91% Potassium 898mg 19% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.