Description
This Cheesy Baked Ziti is a comfort food classic that’s both delicious and easy to prepare. Bursting with flavors from Italian sausage, creamy mozzarella, and ziti pasta, it’s perfect for a quick family dinner. You’ll love how simple the prep is, making it a go-to for busy nights!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ziti pasta
- 1 pound italian sausage, ground
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce, or homemade
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes, for serving
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center position.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti until al dente, according to package instructions, then drain.
- In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the sausage, onion, and garlic until the meat is browned and the onions are softened, about 8 minutes. Drain excess fat.
- Stir in the marinara sauce, tomato sauce, salt, Italian seasoning, and heavy cream until combined. Mix in the cooked ziti and 1½ cups of shredded mozzarella.
- Transfer the mixture to a 9×13 baking dish.
- Top with fresh mozzarella slices and the remaining ½ cup of shredded mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes or until the pasta is tender. Remove the foil, sprinkle with Parmesan, and bake uncovered for another 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve with chili flakes and fresh basil on top.
Notes
Feel free to use homemade marinara for a fresh taste.
Adjust chili flakes to your heat preference.
Any leftover ziti can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 43g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 75mg