Description
A comforting, restaurant-quality baked pasta dish featuring Italian sausage, ricotta, and mozzarella cheese. This easy weeknight dinner is freezer-friendly, cost-effective, and perfect for families.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ziti or penne pasta
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage (links or pre-crumbled)
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 15 ounces full-fat ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- Olive oil or cooking spray for greasing dish
- Optional: 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
- Optional: 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente (8-10 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining. Do not rinse pasta.
- While pasta cooks, brown the Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a spoon. Drain excess grease if necessary.
- Add minced garlic and Italian seasoning to the sausage in the last minute of cooking.
- Pour in marinara sauce and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, sausage-sauce mixture, and ricotta cheese. Stir gently to coat. Add more pasta water if needed.
- Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
- Top with shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove foil and broil for 2-3 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
- Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Do not overcook the pasta as it will continue to cook in the oven. Use full-fat dairy for best texture. Shred mozzarella from a block rather than using pre-shredded cheese for better melting. Let the dish rest for 5-10 minutes after baking to allow the cheese to set.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 620
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 22
Keywords: baked ziti, Italian sausage, cheesy pasta, family dinner, weeknight meals, comfort food, freezer friendly, easy recipes