Description
A rich and comforting baked ziti recipe featuring tender pasta tossed with spicy Italian sausage, a creamy tomato sauce, and layers of melted mozzarella and pecorino Romano cheese. Perfectly baked to golden bubbly perfection, this classic Italian-American casserole is sure to satisfy family and friends.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 lb ziti noodles
Sausage & Sauce
- 1½ lbs ground spicy or sweet Italian sausage (or removed from casings)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup plus 3 tablespoons grated pecorino Romano (or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese), divided
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving
Cheese
- 8 oz whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ziti noodles and cook according to package directions until very al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain and return the pasta to the pot. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 425°F (220°C) and position the oven rack in the middle.
- Brown the sausage: Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Crumble in the sausage and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate with a slotted spoon, reserving 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan. If needed, add a tablespoon of olive oil.
- Sauté the garlic: Lower the heat to low. Add the minced garlic to the fat in the pan and cook, stirring constantly until soft but not browned, about 1 minute.
- Simmer the tomato sauce: Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, sugar, and red pepper flakes to the pan. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
- Finish the sauce: Stir in the heavy cream, ⅓ cup of pecorino Romano cheese, cooked sausage, and chopped basil until evenly combined.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Pour the sauce mixture into the pot with the pasta and gently stir to combine thoroughly.
- Assemble the casserole: Spoon half of the pasta mixture into a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33-cm) baking dish. Sprinkle half of the shredded mozzarella (1 cup / 113g) and half of the remaining pecorino Romano (1½ tablespoons) over the pasta. Top with the remaining pasta mixture, followed by the remaining mozzarella and pecorino Romano.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the oven and bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese has melted and developed a light golden brown.
- Serve: Garnish with additional fresh basil and serve hot.
Notes
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly: Assemble the dish and cover it tightly; refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. To reheat, bake covered with aluminum foil at 425°F for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake another 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is browned and pasta is heated through.
- To achieve very al dente pasta that won’t become mushy after baking, slightly undercook the noodles during boiling.
- Adjust the amount of crushed red pepper flakes to control spice level.
- Use fresh basil for the best flavor and garnish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (approximately)
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
