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.
I made this yesterday for Christmas! Definitely was a hit! It was so easy to make, flavors where right on. Followed recipe to exact. Very pleased! 😊 Many of your recipes I have tried, never found any disappointments. Best website for recipes! 👍🏻👍🏻
We love this recipe. Have you ever made it in the crockpot? If yes, do you have any specific instructions? Like cook time, layering and do you precook noodles or just put them in uncooked? Thank you!
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure Joy. 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 have made this several times. Always turns out great. It is a favorite of my kids and grandkids. We usually make 2 at a time.
I don’t usually comment on recipes but this was absolutely delicious! I used hamburger and seasoned with italian seasoning and garlic. I used the cottage cheese and I added fresh spinach to the cheese mixture. Great recipe, make it!
Love this recipe! My family requests it often for a nice Sunday dinner.
Second time making your recipe and it’s delicious! We doubled the recipe and froze the extra one. Is it possible to cook the other one from frozen or do I need to thaw first?
I typically recommend thawing overnight in the refrigerator. I am glad you loved this recipe Jeremy!
Made this for the family yesterday, and it was a major hit! Thanks Holly!!
So glad you enjoyed it, Jeff!
Tried this recipe the other night and it was a huge hit with my hungry husband. It went together easily and he said it reminded him of my lasagna, only moister. I used my home made ricotta with a delicious sage sausage and the meal was awesome. A 9×13 pan is large for us, but I was able to divvy it up into three other servings for us and placed them in the freezer. He calls it Fake Lasagna. Loves it. Thanks Holly!!
I have made this very good though I use cottage cheese through blender. My family didn’t care for the gritty texture of ricotta.
Tip if you don’t have sausage or are cutting calories sprinkle poultry seasoning on ground beef when cooking makes it taste like sausage. Did this for pizza as a new bride with tight budget. Again thanks Holly for the BEST easy marinara sauce recipe. My go to for everything now. So simple but so good.
Holly
I think I know you I’m Christine Middleton Castro. You were at Darlene Castro party Years ago. I’m so happy for your success. I lived years ago next door to Richard Scardelli
Hi Holly~
This looks delicious and so much easier that traditional lasagna….Is there a way to cut recipe in half and what size casserole to use? It’s only my husband and I and a 9×13 is way too much….Or can I make the whole recipe and freeze half? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated! And, by the way, I love your recipes….always easy and with items I have on hand in my pantry!! Thanks again~
Deb (Rhode Island)
Made this as a side dish for a 2nd birthday party. Was so good and had almost none left over. Baked ziti doesn’t usually disappear that quickly at parties, but this was a HIT. I will definitely be making this on a regular basis.
That makes me so happy to hear, Lisa!
Loved this. Perfect for a large gathering. Many people went back for seconds.
Awesome recipe, as always. Easier than lasagna and tastes just as good. I used some leftover bolognese I had in the freezer and it was a quick weeknight meal.
I was looking for an easier lasagna alternative for my birthday dinner and came across this. It was so tasty and easier to assemble than traditional lasagna. I had pesto on hand, so I added 1-2T of that to the ricotta mixture instead of parsley (which I was out of). Would 100% make again!
I always love your recipes. This has been my go to for baked ziti for a while. Although I read what others say, and their suggestions, I follow your directions exactly and I am never disappointed.
It says 28oz pasta sauce but the jars some in 24oz.. did you mean 24 or how do you get 28 oz lol
I use 28 oz, you can buy some jars that are larger than 24 oz. If you have only a 24 oz jar, you can top up the extra 4oz with tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes.
Wonderful recipe. I made some changes based on what I had in the kitchen, plus my vegetarian diet… it was gobbled up by my meat eating friends and family. I used a bag of frozen veggie crumbles instead of meat, and mascarpone+cottage cheese instead of ricotta which I didn’t have. Will go into recipe rotation!
This baked ziti is a hit in my household! I use ground beef and add the minced garlic and extra Italian seasoning as recommended. I also use jarred prego sauce and omit the water added because I feel it’s not necessary. Thank you Holly for another recipe to add to my rotation!
Love this recipe. Make it for the grandkids When they visit. Does the parsley have to be fresh or can you substitute parsley flakes?
So glad your grandkids enjoy this recipe! You can use parsley flakes, reduce it to 1 tablespoon.