Go Back

Baked Ziti

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 1 # of Ziti or Penne pasta
  • Olive oil
  • 1 # Italian Sausage
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 3-4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 Tbsp fresh basil or ½ Tbsp dried
  • 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
  • ½ tsp pepper flakes if your sausage is spicy you may not need this
  • 1 quart tomato sauce
  • 1/2 # mozzarella cheese
  • 1 heaping cup of ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • Boil the pasta to al dente. Drain and toss with a little olive oil.
  • While the pasta is cooking, brown the sausage in a Tbsp of olive oil.
  • Add the onions when the sausage is mostly browned and sauté until translucent.
  • Add the garlic and the rest of the seasonings and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato sauce, stir well and simmer for at least 5 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350o.
  • Spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 casserole. Dot the sauce with half of the ricotta.
  • Add 1-3 ladles of sauce to the pasta and stir through, and then spread the pasta into the casserole.
  • Pour the rest of the sauce over the pasta, and then dot with the rest of the ricotta.
  • Sprinkle the mozzarella and parmesan over the top.
  • Bake for about 20 minutes until the cheese on top is lightly browned.
  • I like to turn the heat up to 450 for the last 5 minutes or so to get the cheese a little browner and firmer on top. This also preps the oven if I’m going to make some garlic bread.
  • Let stand for 5-10 minutes before cutting, to firm up a little.