Baked Ziti
A comforting baked pasta dish with sausage, creamy sauce, and cheesy topping, perfect for family dinners.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 1 pound uncooked ziti or penne pasta
Meat & Vegetables
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 4-5 cloves garlic (minced)
Seasonings & Canned Goods
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 can crushed tomatoes ((28 ounces))
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- to taste pepper
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
Cheese & Dairy
- 8 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
For Serving
- optional chopped fresh parsley and/or basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook pasta 2-3 minutes less than package instructions, drain.
- Cook sausage and onion until browned, then add garlic, seasonings, and cook 1 minute.
- Add crushed tomatoes, cream, salt, pepper, and sugar; heat 5 minutes.
- Combine pasta with sauce, layer half in a casserole, dollop ricotta, then top with remaining pasta and cheeses.
- Bake uncovered 20 minutes, broil briefly to brown cheese, then serve with herbs if desired.
Notes
Use fresh herbs for best flavor. Adjust cooking time for pasta doneness.