Description
A comforting and classic Italian-American baked pasta dish featuring ziti pasta with savory Italian sausage, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan cheeses, and marinara sauce, baked to bubbly cheesy perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 16 oz ziti or penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling over pasta
Sausage
- 1 pound Italian sausage
Sauce and Cheese Mixture
- 32 oz marinara sauce
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
- 3/4 cups shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Dash of crushed red pepper flakes, optional
Seasonings
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
For Garnish
- Chopped basil, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Drain well in a colander. Drizzle with a little olive oil and stir gently to prevent sticking. Transfer pasta to a large bowl and set aside.
- Cook Sausage: In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard any excess fat. Set cooked sausage aside.
- Make Cheese Mixture: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, chopped basil, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using). Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Mix until well combined.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the ricotta cheese mixture to the bowl with cooked pasta. Then add marinara sauce and cooked sausage. Gently fold all ingredients together to combine without breaking the pasta.
- Assemble Dish: Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Evenly sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese over the top.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cheese on top is golden brown and bubbly.
- Rest and Serve: Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Garnish with additional fresh chopped basil if desired and serve warm.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- This dish freezes well; freeze portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.
- For a spicier dish, increase the crushed red pepper flakes to taste.
- Use gluten-free pasta to make this dish gluten free.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
