Description
A comforting and cheesy baked ziti casserole, perfect for family dinners. This classic Italian-American dish features tender ziti pasta, rich marinara sauce, creamy ricotta cheese, and a melted mozzarella topping.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ziti pasta
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cook ziti pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, cook Italian sausage over medium heat until browned. Drain off excess grease.
- Add chopped onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Pour in crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Add oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, and Parmesan cheese. Mix well.
- Spread a thin layer of the sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Layer half of the cooked ziti over the sauce.
- Dollop half of the ricotta mixture over the ziti.
- Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the ricotta.
- Sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat the layers with the remaining ziti, ricotta mixture, sauce, and the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Cover the baking dish with foil.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the edges are golden brown.
- Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- For a vegetarian option, omit the sausage and add sautéed mushrooms or extra vegetables to the sauce.
- You can make this dish ahead of time and refrigerate it. Add a few extra minutes to the baking time if baking from chilled.
- Fresh basil can be added to the sauce for an extra burst of flavor.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of casserole
- Calories: Approx. 550
- Sugar: Approx. 8g
- Sodium: Approx. 1200mg
- Fat: Approx. 30g
- Saturated Fat: Approx. 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: Approx. 15g
- Trans Fat: Approx. 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: Approx. 50g
- Fiber: Approx. 4g
- Protein: Approx. 25g
- Cholesterol: Approx. 100mg