Baked Ziti

This Baked Ziti pasta casserole is loaded with Italian Sausage, marinara, ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan, all baked to a hot, luscious, gooey delight. Serve with a simple garden salad and crusty French bread.

Course main meal pasta

Cuisine Italian

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 652kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

1 pound Italian sausage
1 small onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried basil
32 ounces marinara sauce or pasta sauce
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 pound ziti pasta
15 ounces ricotta cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan Cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian Parsley
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 egg
Chopped fresh parsley or basil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
In a large sauté pan over medium heat, brown the Italian sausage, breaking it up as you go. Add the chopped onion; cook for 3-4 minutes. Reduce the heat, add garlic, dried oregano, and basil; cook for 1 minute. Drain any excess grease. Add the marinara sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
Once the water boils, cook the pasta al dente and drain well. In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta, Parmesan, ½ cup mozzarella, parsley, black pepper, and the egg.
In a 13 x 9-inch casserole dish, spread a thin layer of the sauce mixture. Top with half of the ziti pasta. Then top with half of the sauce mixture and the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with the remaining pasta and the rest of the sauce. Top with the remaining mozzarella.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or fresh basil.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power.

Nutrition