Whip up my easy, crowd-pleasing baked ziti recipe—it's perfect for cozy weeknights yet special enough for company, and an absolute superstar at potlucks!
718 kcal
/serving
50 min
Serves
8
Medium
Italian
Ingredients
- 1 lb ziti noodles
- 1 1/2 lbs ground spicy or sweet Italian sausage (or removed from casings)
- 4 cloves garlic, (minced)
- 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 1/3 cup plus 3 tbsp grated pecorino Romano (or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese), divided)
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil, (plus more for serving)
- 8 oz whole milk mozzarella cheese, (shredded (about 2 cups)
Preparation
Not specified
Cooking
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add the ziti noodles and cook according to the package directions for very al dente, about 7 minutes.
- (It will continue to cook in the oven, so you want to undercook it just a bit.) Drain and add the pasta back to the pot.
- Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and set the oven rack in the middle position.
- Heat a large sauté pan (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat.
- Crumble the sausage into the pan and cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a plate.
- Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan and set over low heat (if you don't have enough fat in the pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil).
- Add the 4 cloves of minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 1 minute.
- Add the can of crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, 1½ teaspoons sugar, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Add the cream, ⅓ cup (33 g) of the pecorino Romano, cooked sausage, and basil to the pan; stir until evenly combined.
- Carefully pour the contents of the sauté pan into the large pot with the pasta and gently stir to combine.
- Spoon half of the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33-cm) baking dish.
- Sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella (1 cup/113 g) and half the remaining pecorino Romano (1½ tablespoons).
- Spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella (1 cup/113 g) and pecorino Romano (1½ tablespoons).
- Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the cheese has melted and browned, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle with more basil and serve.
Plating & Serving
Not specified
Suggested Sides
Nutrition per Serving
718
Calories
32.7g
Protein
28% DV
51.6g
Carbs
18% DV
43.1g
Fat
55% DV
3.8g
Fiber
10% DV
8.0g
Sugars
1092mg
Sodium
73% DV
172mg
Cholesterol
49% DV
| Health Labels | Sugar Conscious Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free Fish Free Shellfish Free Crustacean Free Celery Free Mustard Free Sesame Free Lupine Free Mollusk Free Alcohol Free No Oil Added |
* Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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Recipe Details