Description
A comforting, easy-to-make weeknight dinner featuring Italian sausage, rich tomato sauce, and layers of creamy ricotta and melted mozzarella cheese, baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound Italian sausage (mix of sweet and hot)
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 can (28 oz / 800g) crushed tomatoes (San Marzano preferred)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 pound ziti pasta
- 1 container (15 oz / 425g) whole milk ricotta cheese
- 16 ounces (450g) mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup (50g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Heat a large Dutch oven or skillet over medium-high heat. Cook Italian sausage for 5-7 minutes, breaking it up or slicing links, until browned. Drain excess fat, leaving a little for flavor.
- In the same pan, cook diced onion for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer on low for 10 minutes to thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- While sauce simmers, boil ziti in salted water, draining 1 minute before fully al dente. Do not rinse.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, sausage-tomato sauce, and ricotta cheese. Fold gently to leave streaks of ricotta.
- Pour mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Broil on high for 3-5 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
- Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil.
Notes
Do not overcook the pasta as it will finish cooking in the oven. For crispy cheese, use the broiler at the end. You can assemble this dish up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate before baking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 48
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 22
Keywords: baked ziti, Italian sausage, cheesy pasta, weeknight dinner, comfort food, easy recipe, homemade pasta