Baked Ziti
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Posted: 03/28/25
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If you love lasagna you are going to love this easy Baked Ziti casserole. It’s so easy to make, plus loaded with ziti noodles, sauce, Italian sausage, cheese and classic Italian seasonings. A hearty, comforting dinner recipe that your family will ask for over and over again. It freezes great and is the perfect meal to take to a friend!
Layers of tender ziti, hearty sausage meat sauce, and pockets of gooey cheese are combined to make a pan of the best comfort food ever. When it’s cold and we need a cozy dinner to warm us up, baked ziti is what I make!
I love this recipe so much – it’s a great family meal and it’s perfect for sharing with friends and family when they need a hot meal. The flavors are great and it’s easy to make.
We love it with a salad on the side and some breadsticks! Trust, me when I say this dinner will satisfy everyone! It’s always a hit.
Why You’ll Love this easy Baked Ziti Recipe
- There’s nothing complicated about this recipe – all of the components are easy to prepare!
- You can prep it ahead, keep it in the refrigerator to bake later when you’re ready to eat! It’s also freezer-friendly.
- My family loves it! It’s kid-friendly and a winner with the adults, too.
What is the difference between baked ziti and lasagna?
These dishes are similar with the same flavors and ingredients but they are prepared in a different way. Lasagna is a baked pasta made with sheets of pasta and layers of cheese and sauce. Baked ziti is less structured and made with a tubular pasta that is loosely layered with sauce and cheese.
does baked ziti contain meat?
My recipe does. I like to make this baked pasta with Italian sausage meat sauce. You can make a vegetarian baked ziti and just use marinara sauce.
Ingredients for Baked Ziti
- Ziti – You can also use penne if that’s what you have on hand!
- Extra-virgin olive oil – EVOO just has such a great yet subtle flavor.
- Ground Italian sausage – Want it spicy? Use hot Italian sausage. I use mild sausage because my kiddos are not into a lot of heat.
- Diced onion – Yellow or white onions are best.
- Minced garlic – In a pinch, grab some garlic powder.
- Italian seasoning – Typically a blend of basil, oregano, rosemary and thyme.
- Marinara sauce – Pick your favorite jarred marinara sauce or make some homemade if you have a little extra time.
- Salt and black pepper – the perfect seasoning for every meal.
- Ricotta – You can also substitute cottage cheese if you prefer.
- Italian cheese blend – This is a store bought shredded cheese blend that is made with several different kinds of cheese.
- Mozzarella cheese – Grab a block of mozzarella and grate it yourself for the best result!
- Chopped parsley – Fresh parsley gives the most flavor, but you can definitely use dried parsley in it’s place.
How to make baked ziti
Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Once it’s cooked, drain it and set it aside. This pasta will finish cooking in the oven.
Cook the sausage in a large skillet with olive oil. Add the onion, garlic and the seasonings. Add the marinara and bring the sauce to a simmer. Let it simmer while you make the cheese filling.
Combine the ricotta and Italian cheese blend in a mixing bowl.
Once you have cooked the pasta, sauce and mixed the cheese filling, you can assemble the baked ziti.
Place the baking dish in the oven and bake the pasta casserole for 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahreneheit.
Remove the tented foil and turn the oven on to broil. Broil the top of the ziti for a few minutes until the cheese is lightly golden in spots.
Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the top and serve!
How to Assemble Baked Ziti with italian sausage
- Coat the pasta with one cup of the sauce and stir to combine.
- Pour half of the ziti with sauce into the baking dish.
- Drop half of the cheese mixture by the dollops on top of the pasta.
- Spoon half of the sauce over the cheese scoops.
- Repeat these layers one more time and then sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top. Tent the baking dish with foil before baking.
Pro Tips
- When you drain the pasta, you can toss it with a little bit of olive oil. This will keep the noodles from sticking together while it sits.
- I like to use a deep 9×13″ baking dish for this recipe. It is a big pasta casserole and needs plenty of room!
- You can assemble this dish early in the day, refrigerate it and bake it when it is time for dinner. You may need to add a few minutes to the baking time since it will be colder out of the fridge.
- You can also freeze this casserole. It will keep for up to a month in the freezer as long as it is wrapped well. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight and then bake as instructed.
- Not a fan of sausage or don’t have any on hand? You can swap it out for ground beef or ground turkey. Just be sure to increase the seasonings a little bit.
- Before serving, a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes with the fresh parsley can really kick the flavor up a notch!
What does al dente mean?
Cooking pasta to al dente means that there should be a little bit of resistance when you bite into your noodle. It shouldn’t be so hard that it isn’t enjoyable, but it should also not be so soft that it just kind of turns to mush in your mouth.
When you are baking a pasta, like this ziti, it is super important to cook your pasta to al dente because the noodles will cook a little more when they are in the oven.
do you cover ziti when baking?
Yes, you will want to keep it covered with foil while it bakes. I like to tent the foil so it’s not touching the cheese. Keeping it covered will prevent it from drying it out while it bakes. You broil this dish at the end to give the cheese a nice golden finish.
What to serve with baked ziti
- Who doesn’t love a classic garlic bread to mop up all of the delicious sauce left on their plate?
- An antipasto salad is the perfect salad to pair with this yummy Italian dish.
- Just in case you have any room left, Peanut Butter Fluff will take you over the edge!
How to store leftovers
Leftover baked ziti will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days.
You can also freeze leftover baked ziti. I recommend freezing it in a disposable aluminum pan for easy reheating and clean up or in single portions to use for lunches.
How to reheat leftovers
The best way to reheat leftover baked ziti with sausage is in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or until warmed through. Tent foil over the dish to keep moisture in. You can even add a little bit of liquid or extra tomato sauce to the dish to keep it from drying out.
When you make this baked ziti for your family be prepared for all the rave reviews! It’s a dinner my family asks for on repeat just like they do my Baked Rigatoni recipe! I hope you give it a try because I know you will love it as much as we do.
More great baked pasta recipes you need to try!
- Classic Baked Spaghetti Casserole with layers of meat sauce, pasta, and Alfredo sauce is a cozy comfort food dinner you will love.
- Mexican Pasta Bake is a fun twist that combines Mexican flavors with tender spiral noodles for an easy dinner.
- Beef Ragu turns chuck roast into a delicious seasoned beef tomato mixture that is served over pappardelle pasta.
- If you have leftover ham you need to try my Cheesy Ham and Bowtie Casserole!
- Creamy Cabbage Casserole is a summertime side dish perfect for that garden fresh cabbage.
- Lasagna Casserole is an easy way to make lasagna – it will be a hit when you make it!
- This BBQ Chicken Casserole is made gluten free, low carb and protein packed with zucchini noodles and Greek yogurt! Great for healthy weeknight dinners!
- Make some Baked Tortellini when you’re looking for a classic comfort food.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Baked Ziti
Easy, delicious Baked Ziti Casserole has layers of ziti noodles, meat sauce, cheese and is baked to perfection for an easy dinner!
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound ziti noodles can sub penne noodles
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 32 ounces marinara sauce store bought or homemade
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 15 ounces ricotta
- 1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
- 2 cups Mozzarella cheese shredded
- Chopped fresh parsley garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cook ziti noodles according to directions on the box until the pasta is al dente. You will also be baking this so do not cook past al dente. When it is done cooking, drain, return to the pan and set aside. You can toss with a little olive oil to prevent it from sticking together.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. When the oil is simmering hot, add the Italian sausage and cook until it’s brown and crispy. Add the onion to the skillet when the sausage is almost cooked through. Continue to cook over medium-high heat until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic and Italian seasoning, stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, then add the marinara sauce and stir well. Bring to a simmer.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta and Italian cheese blend.
- Add 1 cup of red sauce into the prepared ziti pasta, stir to combine.
- Pour half of the ziti into a greased 9×13’’ baking dish (the deeper the better). Add half of the ricotta cheese mixture on top of the ziti in small dollops. Then spoon half of the red sauce over the ricotta. Repeat these layers: pasta, ricotta mixture and sauce. Top generously with mozzarella cheese.
- Cover the baking dish with foil. Tent the foil so it’s not touching the cheese.
- Place the baking dish in preheated oven for 20 minutes.
- After baking time is done, remove foil from the dish. Turn the oven to broil and return the casserole to the oven for 3-5 minutes or just until the cheese is lightly browned.
- Remove from the oven, top with chopped parsley if desired and serve.
Tips
- I like to use a deep 9×13″ baking dish for this recipe. This is a big pasta casserole and needs plenty of room!
- You can assemble it early in the day, refrigerate it, and then bake it when it’s time for dinner. You may need to add a few minutes to the baking time.
- You can also freeze this casserole. It will keep well for up to a month in the freezer, just make sure it’s wrapped well. Let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then bake as instructed.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 823kcal (41%), Carbohydrates: 55g (18%), Protein: 44g (88%), Fat: 48g (74%), Saturated Fat: 20g (125%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 15g, Cholesterol: 123mg (41%), Sodium: 1630mg (71%), Potassium: 779mg (22%), Fiber: 4g (17%), Sugar: 8g (9%), Vitamin A: 1138IU (23%), Vitamin C: 10mg (12%), Calcium: 520mg (52%), Iron: 3mg (17%)
Valerie DeWitt says
Looks and Sounds awesome can’t wait to make and try this
Julie Evink says
I hope you enjoy it Valerie!
Karen says
No clue why the other person gave you 3 stars? Made this last night for a full house during the holidays w/ the intention of pleasing my college kids’ appetites for good food! The entire dish was gone within an hour and even found the oldest scraping the pan. Thank you.
Julie Evink says
That’s the best review you can have! So glad you enjoyed it Karen!