Easy Baked Ziti Recipe
User Reviews
4.8
Easy Baked Ziti Recipe
Description
The recipe starts by cooking ziti pasta until barely al dente to maintain its texture through baking. Meanwhile, Italian sausage is browned and drained before garlic and red pepper flakes are sautéed briefly. Crushed tomatoes are added along with salt and pepper, simmering to meld flavors and thicken the sauce.
After simmering, the cooked pasta is combined with the sauce, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and dried basil. The cream and cheese create a rich, smooth sauce coating the pasta. The mixture is assembled in an oven-safe skillet, topped with shredded mozzarella, and baked until the cheese melts and bubbles, forming a golden crust.
This dish suits those looking for a comforting baked pasta that balances savory sausage, tangy tomato, and creamy cheese components. It's practical for family dinners and serves approximately six.
Nutritional information provided is approximate per serving based on six servings.
Ingredients
Special Equipment
- Large oven-safe skillet with a lid
Baked Ziti
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces ziti pasta penne, or rigatoni, about 2⅔ cups, uncooked
- 1 pound Italian sausage mild or hot, casings removed
- 6 cloves garlic pressed or minced
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 2 crushed tomatoes 14-ounce can
- salt
- black pepper
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese shredded, 2 oz
- 1 teaspoon basil dried
- 1½ cup mozzarella cheese 6 oz, shredded
Instructions
Start Pasta
- Preheat oven to 475°F.
- Bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a boil and cook ziti according to package instructions until just barely al dente. Don’t overcook the pasta as it will become too soft after baking. Drain and set aside.
Sauce
- While your water boils and pasta cooks, in a large, oven-safe skillet with a lid, heat oil over medium heat. Brown sausage, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. If there is a lot of grease in the pan, drain sausage or use a paper towel to absorb some of the grease.
- Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Turn heat up to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in cooked pasta, cream, Parmesan, and basil. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
Bake
- Sprinkle mozzarella over the top and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe yields approximately six servings.
- Cook the pasta to just al dente to prevent over-softening during baking.
- Drain excess grease from the sausage before adding garlic to keep the sauce from becoming too oily.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4to 6 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 494 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 494kcal | 25% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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