Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage

Name: Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 8 min
Total time: 1 h 33 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 lb (454 g) dried ziti, or penne or rigatoni; 1 tbsp (15 g) kosher salt, for the pasta water; 1 lb (454 g) Italian sausage, mild or hot, casings removed; 1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 medium (200 g) yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1½ cups); 4 cloves (12 g) garlic, minced; ¼ tsp (½ g) red pepper flakes (optional); 1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano; 48 oz (two 24-oz jars) (1360 g) marinara sauce, good-quality jarred or homemade; 15 oz (425 g) whole-milk ricotta, at room temperature, drained of any liquid on top; 1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten; 1 cup (100 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated, divided (½ cup for the filling, ½ cup for the top); ¼ cup (10 g) fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 12 oz (340 g) low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, coarsely shredded (about 3 cups), divided (half mixed into the pasta, half for the top)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender ziti tossed in a savory sausage marinara, layered with creamy herbed ricotta, and baked under a blanket of bubbling, golden mozzarella. It's a make-ahead crowd-pleaser that serves eight.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 1 hr 8 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 1 hr 43 min
Makes: 1 (9×13-inch) casserole, 8 generous servings

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Ingredients

8 servings

1 lb (454 g) dried ziti, or penne or rigatoni
1 tbsp (15 g) kosher salt, for the pasta water
For the sausage sauce
1 lb (454 g) Italian sausage, mild or hot, casings removed
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium (200 g) yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1½ cups)
4 cloves (12 g) garlic, minced
¼ tsp (0.5 g) red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano
48 oz (two 24-oz jars) (1360 g) marinara sauce, good-quality jarred or homemade
For the ricotta filling
15 oz (425 g) whole-milk ricotta, at room temperature, drained of any liquid on top
1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup (100 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated, divided (½ cup for the filling, ½ cup for the top)
¼ cup (10 g) fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
For assembly
12 oz (340 g) low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, coarsely shredded (about 3 cups), divided (half mixed into the pasta, half for the top)

Equipment (8)

9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish, 3 inches (7.5 cm) deep or more
Large pot (6 quart / 5.5 L) for pasta
Large deep skillet or Dutch oven (12-inch / 30 cm, or 5-quart / 4.7 L)
Large colander
Aluminum foil
Medium mixing bowl
Wooden spoon
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Shred the mozzarella from a block yourself if you can; it melts more smoothly than pre-shredded, which is coated to prevent clumping.
Take the ricotta and egg out of the fridge 20 minutes ahead so the ricotta mixture stirs together easily.
Pasta is deliberately undercooked by 2 minutes because it finishes cooking in the sauce in the oven. Check your package time before you start.
Lightly grease a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish and set a rack in the center of the oven.

1
Prep and preheatOven 375°F / 190°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375°F (190°C).
- Lightly grease a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish.
- Fill a 6-quart (5.5 L) pot with about 4 quarts (4 L) of water, add the 1 tablespoon kosher salt, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat while you start the sausage.
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Ready when: Water is at a full rolling boil.
Tip: Start the water first so it boils by the time the sauce is simmering.
2
Brown the sausage
- Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add the sausage and break it into ½-inch (1 cm) chunks with a wooden spoon.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until deeply browned in spots and no pink remains.
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Ready when: Sausage is browned with no pink; it reads at least 160°F (71°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
Tip: Let the meat sit undisturbed for a minute or two between stirs so it browns instead of steaming.
3
Soften onion and garlic
- Reduce heat to medium.
- Add the chopped onion to the sausage and its rendered fat; cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
- If the pan is very greasy, spoon off all but 2 tablespoons of fat.
- Stir in the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent; garlic smells fragrant but hasn't browned.
Tip: Garlic burns quickly and turns bitter, so add it last and keep stirring.
4
Simmer the sauce
- Pour in the marinara sauce and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until slightly thickened.
- Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the next step.
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Ready when: Sauce is slightly thickened and a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a trail that closes slowly.
Tip: Jarred sauces vary in saltiness, so taste before adding any salt.
5
Undercook the pasta
- Add the ziti to the boiling water and stir well.
- Cook for 2 minutes less than the package directions, usually about 7 to 8 minutes, so the pasta is flexible but still quite firm in the center.
- Drain well in a colander; do not rinse.
- Shake off excess water.
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Ready when: Pasta bends but has a distinctly firm, chalky-white center when bitten.
Tip: Fully cooked pasta turns mushy after baking. The ziti will absorb sauce and finish cooking in the oven.
6
Mix the ricotta filling
- In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta, beaten egg, ½ cup (50 g) of the Parmesan, chopped basil or parsley, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper until evenly combined and creamy.
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Ready when: Mixture is uniform, with no streaks of egg.
Tip: The egg helps the ricotta set into a sliceable layer rather than turning grainy.
7
Combine pasta and sauce
- Add the drained ziti to the sausage sauce along with half of the mozzarella (about 1½ cups / 170 g).
- Fold gently until every piece of pasta is coated and the cheese is distributed.
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Ready when: All the pasta is coated in sauce with no dry spots.
Tip: If your skillet is too small, transfer the sauce to the pasta pot and fold everything together there.
8
Layer the casserole
- Spread half of the pasta mixture in the baking dish.
- Drop spoonfuls of the ricotta filling over it, using about two-thirds of the mixture, and spread lightly without fully covering the pasta.
- Top with the remaining pasta.
- Dollop the last of the ricotta over the top, then sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and remaining ½ cup (50 g) Parmesan.
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Ready when: Dish is evenly layered, with cheese covering the surface.
Tip: Leave gaps in the ricotta layer so you get pockets of creamy cheese rather than a solid wall.
9
Bake coveredOven 375°F / 190°C
- Cover the dish tightly with foil (spray the underside lightly with oil so the cheese doesn't stick).
- Place on a rimmed baking sheet to catch drips and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25 minutes, until the edges are bubbling and the center is hot.
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Ready when: Sauce is bubbling around the edges of the dish.
Tip: Covering traps steam, which keeps the pasta from drying out.
10
Uncover and brownOven 375°F / 190°C
- Remove the foil and bake 15 to 18 minutes more at 375°F (190°C), until the cheese is melted, spotted golden brown, and the sauce is bubbling vigorously at the edges.
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Ready when: Top is bubbling and golden brown in spots; center reads at least 165°F (74°C).
Tip: For deeper browning, broil on high for the last 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely.
11
Rest and serve
- Let the ziti rest on a wire rack for 10 minutes so the sauce thickens and the layers hold when cut.
- Scatter with a little more fresh basil or parsley if you like, then scoop or cut into squares and serve hot.
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Ready when: Sauce has stopped bubbling and the surface looks set.
Tip: Skipping the rest makes the casserole runny and the cheese scalding hot.

Good to know

Tips

Drain the pasta very well; extra water thins the sauce and makes the casserole watery.
Use whole-milk ricotta and whole-milk, low-moisture mozzarella. Part-skim and fresh mozzarella release more water and can turn rubbery or soupy.
Place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet so any bubbling sauce doesn't burn onto the oven floor.
For extra-saucy ziti, stir in an additional ½ cup (120 g) of marinara before layering.

Make ahead

"Assemble the casserole through step 8, cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before baking, then bake covered at 375°F (190°C) for 35 minutes, uncover, and bake 15 to 18 minutes more until hot in the center and golden on top."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Fridge: cool completely, cover, and refrigerate up to 4 days. Freezer: wrap tightly or portion into airtight containers for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat covered with foil at 350°F (175°C) for 20 to 25 minutes (portions) or 35 to 45 minutes (whole dish) until steaming hot, or microwave single portions 2 to 3 minutes."

Substitutions

Italian sausage, mild or hot → Ground beef or turkey, or plant-based crumbles. Add ½ teaspoon fennel seeds and an extra pinch of salt to mimic Italian sausage flavor; if using lean meat, brown it in 1 extra tablespoon of olive oil.
whole-milk ricotta → Cottage cheese, blended or well-drained. Use full-fat small-curd cottage cheese; pulse briefly in a food processor for a smoother texture.
dried ziti → Penne rigate or rigatoni. Cook to the same 2-minutes-less-than-package time.
Parmesan cheese → Pecorino Romano. It is saltier, so reduce the salt in the ricotta filling to ¼ teaspoon.