Best Easy Baked Ziti (Print-Friendly Version)
Tender ziti pasta baked with Italian sausage, creamy ricotta, and melted cheese for a comforting main dish.
# What You’ll Need to Make This:
→ Pasta
01 -
450 g dry ziti pasta
→ Sauce and Filling
02 -
15 ml olive oil
03 -
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
04 -
450 g Italian sausage
05 -
250 g ricotta cheese
06 -
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
07 -
0.5 teaspoon salt
08 -
0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper
09 -
1.42 l pasta sauce (from two 680 g jars)
→ Topping
10 -
200 g shredded mozzarella cheese
11 -
50 g grated parmesan cheese
# How to Prepare:
01 -
Preheat oven to 175°C. Lightly grease a high-sided 23 x 33 cm baking dish with cooking spray.
02 -
Cook the ziti pasta according to package directions in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 -
Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 -
Add Italian sausage to the skillet. Break apart with a wooden spoon and cook for 10–11 minutes, until browned throughout. Drain excess fat if needed.
05 -
Stir in ricotta cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, and ground black pepper, mixing until ricotta is fully incorporated and smooth.
06 -
Pour in the pasta sauce and mix until evenly combined. Bring mixture to a simmer, then remove from heat.
07 -
Return cooked, drained pasta to its large pot. Add the meat sauce mixture and toss until the pasta is evenly coated.
08 -
Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly. Sprinkle mozzarella and then parmesan evenly over the top.
09 -
Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Let rest briefly before serving.
# Extra Tips:
01 -
If your baking dish is not deep enough, hold back a portion of the pasta mixture to prevent overflow while baking.
02 -
A 30 cm high-sided skillet or a large soup pot works well for browning meat and combining ingredients before baking.