0 from 6 votes
Baked Ziti with Sausage
Baked ziti with sausage, three types of cheese, and homemade marinara sauce is a classic pasta bake that's pure comfort food!
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 617 kcal
Course:
Dinner
Cuisine:
Italian , American
Ingredients
- 1 lb. dry ziti pasta
- 1 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ¾ cup dry red wine
- 2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 8 ounces (about 2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil (or sub with 1 ½ tablespoons of dried basil or dried Italian seasoning)
- ½ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Optional garnish: additional chopped fresh basil or other herbs, such as parsley
Instructions
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook ziti according to package instructions for very al dente, about 9 minutes. (It will continue to cook in the oven, so you want to undercook the pasta just a bit.) Drain; set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and set the oven rack in the middle position. Meanwhile, cook sausage in a 12-inch cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage from the skillet and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve 1 tablespoon of drippings in the skillet and drain off the rest (if you don't have enough fat in the skillet, add a tablespoon of olive oil).
- Add the garlic and red pepper to the drippings in the skillet; cook over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add wine; bring to a boil, and use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan (these add tons of flavor to your sauce). Cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, salt and sugar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
- Stir in cooked sausage, cooked pasta, 1 cup of mozzarella, and the basil.
- Add dollops of ricotta and stir gently to swirl, leaving streaks and pockets of ricotta throughout. Top with remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and the Parmesan.
- Transfer skillet to the oven and bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted, about 15-20 minutes. Garnish with additional basil and serve.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- If you don't have a 12-inch cast iron skillet or a large Dutch oven, you can transfer the pasta mixture to a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish before baking.
Nutrition Information
Serving
1/8 of the recipe
Calories
617kcal
(31%)
Carbohydrates
60g
(20%)
Protein
30g
(60%)
Fat
27g
(42%)
Saturated Fat
12g
(60%)
Cholesterol
75mg
(25%)
Sodium
1110mg
(46%)
Potassium
900mg
(26%)
Fiber
6g
(24%)
Sugar
11g
(22%)
Vitamin A
704IU
(14%)
Vitamin C
19mg
(21%)
Calcium
413mg
(41%)
Iron
4mg
(22%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 617
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1/8 of the recipe | |
| Calories | 617kcal | 31% |
| Carbohydrates | 60g | 20% |
| Protein | 30g | 60% |
| Fat | 27g | 42% |
| Saturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Cholesterol | 75mg | 25% |
| Sodium | 1110mg | 46% |
| Potassium | 900mg | 19% |
| Fiber | 6g | 24% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 704IU | 14% |
| Vitamin C | 19mg | 21% |
| Calcium | 413mg | 41% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.