Go Back
–+ servings
baked ziti with italian sausage on a plate
Print

Baked Ziti With Italian Sausage

This baked ziti with Italian sausage is extra saucy, cheesy, and full of bold flavor. A rich, comforting pasta bake perfect for family dinners.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Baked Ziti With Sausage, Baked Ziti With Sausage Recipe, How Do I Make Baked Ziti With Sausage Recipe, How To Maske Baked Ziti With Sausage Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Calories 674kcal
Author Kathleen

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage
  • 1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup carrot, finely grated
  • olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, including juices
  • 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 16 ounces ziti
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 3 cups (about 12 ounces) Mozzarella, shredded
  • 2 tablespoons parsley or fresh basil, chopped
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC), Spray a 9X13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside
  • In a large pot, brown the sausage (1 1/2 pounds), crumbling in to large pieces. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of drippings from pot. If you do not have that amount remaining, add olive oil to make up the difference.
  • Add the onion (1 1/2 cups) and saute over medium-high heat until soft, about 5-6 minutes. Add the grated carrot (1/4 cup), salt (1 teaspoon), and pepper (1/2 teaspoon), and saute until soft. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic (1 tablespoon) and Italian seasoning (3 teaspoons). Saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Add the browned sausage back to the pot. Stir in crushed tomatoes (1 can), tomato sauce (1 can), tomato paste (1 can), bay leaves (2), and water (1/2 cup). Bring to a boil, reduce heat immediately and simmer for a minimum of 30 minutes. Stir in cream (1 cup) and Parmesan cheese (1 cup).
  • While the sauce simmers, cook the pasta (16 ounces) according to package instructions to al dente. Drain well and return to the pot. Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss well to coat pasta.
  • Pour half of the pasta in the prepared baking dish then sprinkle 1/2 the mozzarella over the top. Repeat with the remaining pasta and cheese.
  • Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven until heat through and bubbly, about 25-30 minutes. Top with parsley or basil (2 tablespoons) and serve.

Notes

  1. Brown the sausage well. Letting the sausage develop some color adds a deeper, richer flavor to the whole dish.
  2. Cook the vegetables in the same pot and scrape up the browned bits. After browning the sausage, sauté the onion and carrot in the same pot so they soak up all that flavor. When you add the tomatoes and water, scrape the bottom well to release the browned bits—that’s where a lot of the richness comes from.
  3. Don’t overcook the pasta. Since the ziti bakes in the oven too, boiling it just to al dente helps it hold its shape and keeps it from turning mushy.
  4. Use full-fat mozzarella for the best melt. It gives you that gooey, stretchy, classic baked ziti texture.
  5. Let it rest before serving. A short rest helps the layers settle so the ziti serves up cleaner and doesn’t slide apart.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/12 of the recipe | Calories: 674kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 1370mg | Potassium: 436mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1305IU | Vitamin C: 9.6mg | Calcium: 461mg | Iron: 2.6mg