This Baked Ziti is a cozy pasta casserole that’s hearty, saucy, and wonderfully cheesy. Pasta is layered with savory Italian sausage, rich tomato sauce, and a creamy ricotta mixture for an easy dinner that has all the comfort of lasagna without all the work.
It’s a family favorite for busy weeknights, Sunday dinners, or anytime you need a comforting meal that feeds a crowd.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights: Baked Ziti
Baked Ziti is a classic pasta dish that’s easy to put together and is always a hit. I love this recipe so much that it was one of the few recipes from the site that made it into my cookbook, Everyday Comfort.
Why Make It: This baked ziti feeds a crowd, can be assembled ahead of time, and bakes into rich, sturdy layers that hold together beautifully when served.
Time-Saving Tip: Save time by using pre-shredded mozzarella, jarred marinara sauce, and pre-chopped onion to cut down on prep work.
Freezing: Assemble ahead and freeze before baking for an easy future dinner.
Serving Suggestions: I like to serve this baked ziti with homemade garlic bread and a crisp green salad or caesar salad.
Total Time: 1 Hour 10 Minutes Serves: 8
Ingredient Notes
- Italian Sausage: Mild sausage is family-friendly, hot sausage adds extra heat, and bulk sausage helps save prep time. If using links, remove the casings before browning.
- Pasta Sauce or Marinara: Choose a sauce you enjoy on its own, since it’s the base of the casserole. Marinara tends to be brighter and more tomato-forward, while tomato basil or garlic sauces add extra depth of flavor.
- Diced Tomatoes: These add texture and help keep the sauce from tasting flat. Petite diced tomatoes blend in more seamlessly, while fire-roasted tomatoes bring a deeper, slightly smoky flavor.
- Italian Seasoning: This enhances the jarred sauce with a blend of herbs. Add a little extra if using ground beef, turkey, or a very simple tomato sauce.
- Ziti: Cook just to al dente so it holds its texture after baking. Penne, rigatoni, mostaccioli, or medium pasta shells also work well as substitutes.
- Ricotta cheese: Whole milk ricotta creates the creamiest, richest layer. If the ricotta seems watery, drain it before mixing, or substitute cottage cheese for a lighter option.
- Mozzarella Cheese: For the best melt and texture, shred mozzarella from a block. Low-moisture mozzarella is ideal to help prevent the casserole from becoming watery.
Variations
Spicy: Add red pepper flakes to the sauce or use hot Italian sausage for extra heat.
Meat Swap: Ground beef or turkey can be used instead of sausage, with added garlic and Italian seasoning for flavor.
Vegetable Add-Ins: Spinach, mushrooms, bell peppers, zucchini, or chopped kale all work well. Cook watery vegetables first to prevent the casserole from becoming thin.
Lighter: Use turkey sausage, cottage cheese, and part-skim mozzarella for a lighter version.
Make it Meatless: Omit the sausage and add sautéed mushrooms, spinach, or roasted vegetables for a flavorful vegetarian option.
How to Make Baked Ziti
- Brown the sausage and onion in a skillet. Simmer with pasta sauce, diced tomatoes, water, and Italian seasoning.
- Boil the ziti just until al dente and drain.
- Mix the ricotta, egg, parsley, mozzarella, and Parmesan in a bowl.
- Layer sauce, pasta, ricotta mixture, more pasta, more sauce, and mozzarella.
- Bake (full recipe below).
Save It For Later
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat individual portions in the microwave or cover and warm in the oven until heated through.
- Freezing: Assemble the casserole, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 4 months before baking, or freeze leftovers for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking or reheating.
- For Best Results: Remove a refrigerated casserole from the fridge about 30 minutes before baking. If it is cold from the refrigerator, it may need extra baking time.
More Cozy Pasta Bakes
Did you enjoy this Baked Ziti Casserole Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 (28 ounce) jar pasta sauce or marinara sauce
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
- ½ cup water
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 16 ounces ziti
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- thinly sliced fresh basil leaves or chopped fresh parsley for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, brown the sausage and onion, breaking it up with a spoon. Drain any fat.
- Add the pasta sauce, tomatoes, water, and Italian seasoning. Simmer uncovered for 12 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Meanwhile, boil ziti in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain well.
- In a small bowl, mix ricotta, egg, parsley, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese.
- Add 1 cup of sauce to the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Layer half of the ziti, top with all of the ricotta mixture, and half of the sauce.
- Add remaining ziti, remaining sauce, and top with remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Casserole, Dinner, Entree, Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine Italian© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
This is the best ziti! thanks, Holly!
This is a quick and great recipe! Loved it
And will definitely make it again!
I made this Sunday and it was delicious. I used 2 lbs sweet Italian sausage and added fresh basil, parsley and crushed garlic to the sausage as well as the ricotta cheese mixture. I also used parmesan reggiano as I find it taste much better than regular parmesan and is less salty. I doubled the amount of pasta. My family devoured it and I’ll definitely make it again. Thanks for an easy , excellent recipe!
I make my own sauce with sweet and hot sausage links. I bought the chopped today just in case I decided to make this. My sauce is almost done and noticed I forgot the Ricotta at the store. I’m going to do a trial run for my daughter without the Ricotta, just mozzarella snd parm. I’m making this for an office party Thursday. I think I’m going to need a couple of trial runs, but first grab the Ricotta at the store tomorrow !
How did it taste without the ricotta?
Delicious! Will be making it again today for the 4th time. Easy to make and serves many.
Hi can I cook this in the crockpot?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure Crysta. I think it would work, and you can use this Crock Pot sausage pasta recipe for guidance on times. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
I am not fond of diced tomatoes. Could you substitute crushed tomatoes or leave the diced tomatoes out entirely without affecting the flavor or consistency? Is substituting, what quantity would you recommend?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure Mike, but I think that should work just fine. I would substitute the same quantity. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
I tried this recipe last week and it was great. I did have to use ground beef instead of the sausage, as my local store didn’t have it. My wife liked this better than what she gets at our local Italian restaurant.
Hi – when you say to make ahead of time – i need to fully cook it? Will it not work if i do all the steps up to the second to last then cook it the next day?
Hi Haley, to make ahead of time I do all of the steps up to cooking, but do not cook it. Then it can be refrigerated and cooked the next day. Enjoy!
So easy and delicious, especially leftover! I even leave out the meat
All four men in my family said this was the best ziti! Made it twice this weekend-once for dinner and again for everyone to take some home!
It was a big hit!!hot!!! Love it!
What does adding the egg do?
And if it isn’t added?
Thank you for your wonderful recipes!
Hi Arlene, the egg helps bind and thicken the ricotta cheese mixture. I haven’t tried it without so I can’t say for sure. Enjoy!
Excellent dish to make it a hurry.
Don’t like ricotta, should have stuck with mozzarella
You definitely can, Chris. Enjoy!
Thank you Holly. Delicious. I used 24oz sauce because I did not want to open another jar for 4 more ounces. It was perfect. I wonder if those that said it was dry forgot to add the water? Would using the pasta water make it too salty?
So happy you enjoyed it, Tony! I think it would be okay to add the pasta water without making it too salty. If you try this recipe using the leftover pasta water, we would love to hear how it turns out!
This looks wonderful! Do you have any recommendations for maintaining a full flavor without meat? My daughter is vegetarian so I’m always looking for adaptations.
Hi Dee, I don’t follow a vegetarian diet so I am not sure how you would maintain the full meaty flavor of the sauce but I would love to hear what you do! Maybe some other readers can offer some guidance on how best to prepare this dish!
I saute baby bella mushrooms in place of meat in my baked ziti which helps add some flavor, but make sure to saute them first. Raw mushrooms will make too much liquid and your ziti will be runny. You can also add fresh or frozen spinach in with the mushrooms if you like.
This is a really, really good recipe and I made it exactly per the instructions except I used penne as I didn’t have the other kind of pasta. I made it last night and it was a huge hit. It makes lots, so packaged it up for leftovers and/or freezing. Ten out of ten! Thanks Holly!!! Tonight I’m going to use your recipe for roast chicken. I love how straightforward and well explained all of your recipes are. You’re my go-to cooking website!
So glad you loved this as much as we do MJ! Thank you for your kind words, I hope you enjoy the chicken!
I have used so many recipes from you, I finally decided to sign up! Than you, Nan Bedee-Gilley
Welcome Nan!
made this tonight, did a couple of substitutions, penne instead of ziti and cottage cheese instead of the ricotta, just didn’t have any at the store, but all in all, went by the recipe, tastes great and will keep it around, thanks