This baked ziti recipe is a mouthwatering Italian American favorite that has pasta and Italian sausage in tomato sauce along with three kinds of cheese! It's a crowd-pleasing pasta bake that you can easily make ahead of time.
Can't get enough baked pasta recipes? Try this Classic Homemade Lasagna or Million Dollar Spaghetti.
Why you'll love this baked ziti
Want to know our secret to making the best baked ziti? What makes mine stand out from the rest is that the sauce is made completely from scratch instead of opening up a jar of marinara sauce, yet it's still incredibly simple to make. The difference is amazing, you guys. You'll never again make it another way!
Baked ziti with ricotta is on many restaurant menus, but it's way better homemade. This iconic dish is sure to become a new family favorite. Whenever I make it, everybody can't get enough since it's so cheesy and comforting with no fancy ingredients.
Ingredients you'll need
- Ziti - it's a hollow tube-shaped pasta that's a little longer than penne and isn't cut on an angle. It can either be smooth or have ridges.
- Sausage - you can buy sausage meat or just take it out of the casings. I used mild, but you can use hot if you prefer.
- Onion and garlic - classic aromatics to give a great savory base
- Italian seasoning - it comes in a single jar and has a blend of dried herbs
- Crushed red pepper flakes - they don't make it spicy, but you could double them if you do want this pasta bake to have some heat! Or omit them entirely.
- Tomatoes - we're using canned crushed tomatoes for the base of the tasty sauce since they're thick and smooth
- Cream - heavy cream gives the sauce its totally luxurious and rich quality!
- Salt and pepper - it's important to be generous with the seasoning
- Sugar - adding a pinch of sugar is a tried and true tip for countering the acidity of tomatoes. It's even used in restaurants for that signature taste.
- Ricotta - I made this baked ziti with ricotta so that there's a cheesy middle layer that makes each bite deliciously creamy!
- Parmesan and mozzarella - these two cheeses make up our irresistible melty topping
How to make baked ziti
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Preheat oven to 375F. Boil the ziti pasta for 2-3 minutes less than the package directions say, and set aside. In a large pot or Dutch oven, sauté the onion and sausage meat until browned. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, cream, salt & pepper, and sugar. Let it heat through for a few minutes, and then add in the drained ziti and toss.
In a 9x13 baking dish, spread in an even layer half the pasta mixture. Top with ricotta to make the cheesy inner layer.
Add the remaining pasta to make a second layer, and then top with the parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, until hot and bubbly, or about 20 minutes. Broil until the cheese is golden. Serve with fresh basil if desired!
Can you make baked ziti ahead of time?
- You can definitely make it ahead of time! Simply prep it according to the instructions until the baking step, cover it tightly with aluminum foil, and refrigerate for a day.
- You could also freeze it for up to a month. If frozen, let it thaw in the fridge overnight before baking. Since it'll be starting out cold, it'll need a bit of extra time than in the original instructions. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, and then uncover it cook for another 15-20 minutes until hot. Broil after that so the cheese is bubbly.
- Keep in mind that fresh is best and the pasta might soak up a bit of the sauce if you make it ahead, but it'll still taste great!
Substitutions and variations
- If you can't find ziti, try penne.
- You could try subbing the sausage meat for ground beef if you prefer.
- The cream makes the sauce extra silky and delicious, so I don't recommend subbing it, but if you really want to, I'd sub it for a cup of crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, or even marinara sauce vs. something with a lower fat content than heavy cream like half-and-half or milk that could easily curdle due to the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Feel free to omit the ricotta. Some people love it, and it does add creaminess, but you could definitely make it without! Cottage cheese also makes a good substitute for ricotta cheese.
- Want to add in some vegetables? Zucchini, mushrooms, or even eggplant would be good.
Tools for this recipe
- A heavy duty 9x13 casserole dish is useful for so many recipes, including pasta bakes like this one! Don't need to feed a crowd? Halve the recipe and use an 8x8 baking dish.
- My garlic press is awesome for quickly crushing garlic in recipes that call or minced or crushed garlic.
- Want to freeze this baked ziti when making it ahead? It's easiest to do that in disposable aluminum foil baking pans.
Leftovers and storage
- If you have any leftovers, they will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days in a covered container.
- Reheat in the oven for best results, but you could also microwave until it's heated through.
- Baked ziti leftovers can also be frozen. I like to portion them up in individual containers for hassle-free meals later on.
What to serve with baked ziti with sausage
- I love a big slice of Extra Cheesy Garlic Bread with it!
- For something a little lighter to complement it, try a side salad with this creamy balsamic dressing, my easy Caesar salad dressing, or Olive Garden Salad Dressing.
Did you have any questions about this baked ziti recipe? Let me know in the comments below!
Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked ziti or penne pasta
- 1 pound Italian sausage meat
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 4-5 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
- 1 (28 fluid once) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon sugar see note
- 8 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- For serving: fresh chopped parsley and/or basil optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375F and move the rack to the top third of the oven. Boil a salted pot of water and cook the ziti for 2-3 minutes less than package directions indicate. Drain and set aside once it's done.
- Meanwhile, add the sausage meat and onion to a pot and cook until browned (about 7-10 minutes), stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes to the pot and cook for about a minute.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, cream, salt & pepper, and sugar. Let it heat through (about 5 minutes).
- Drain the pasta and add it to the pot. Toss with the sauce.
- Add half the pasta mixture to a 9x13 casserole dish (spread it out evenly to create your bottom layer).
- Spoon the ricotta over the pasta for the cheesy middle layer (you don't need to be too neat... I just put dollops here and there).
- Spoon the remaining pasta into the casserole dish to create an even top layer (I don't stir it).
- Sprinkle the parmesan and mozzarella over top.
- Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes (or until hot & bubbly), and then broil (watch it closely) to brown the cheese.
- Serve with some fresh basil and/or parsley if desired.
Notes
- Use either ground sausage meat or buy sausages and take the meat out of the casings. Anything up to about 1.5 pounds will work.
- The sugar helps enhance the sweetness of the canned tomatoes. You may leave it out if you prefer, but it helps give this recipe that "restaurant quality" taste.
- If you need to sub the cream (I don't recommend it), I would sub it with a cup of crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, or even marinara (not something like half-and-half or milk because the acid will likely curdle it).
- Want to skip the ricotta? This recipe will still be delicious without it.
- See blog post for more tips, step-by-step photos, and answers to FAQs (including make-ahead tips).
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Linda M says
Best Ziti by far!!
Natasha says
Thank you so much, Linda!!
Christine Avalos says
Amazing and easy Sunday dinner. Followed exactly and came out amazing! Thanks for recipe now on rotation 🙂
Natasha says
You're very welcome!! 🙂 Thanks for your review!!
Azlynn Hill says
I added chopped cooked spinach to the ricotta, along with some crushed red pepper, italian seasoning and a tad kosher salt. Followed otherwise as is and loved adding cream to the sauce! Usually only eat the rachel ray ziti with white sauce, but will make this again. Oh and please try the RR one too!
Natasha says
I'm so happy it was a hit! 🙂
Tiffany says
If you don’t hVd ricotta cheese what else could you use?
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
Hi Tiffany! We've got a Substitutions and Variations section in the blog post that talks about it. Enjoy!
Nincy says
Love it….
Cooked without the sausage to accompany it with Garlic-lemon shrimp and it was delicious, my family love it, Sauce is creamy and thick, will definitely added to my favorites.
Natasha says
Wonderful!!
Teresa says
Hi - love this recipes!! I want to make it for my vegetarian daughter-in-law. Do I need to make any adjustments to anything if I omit the sausage? Thank you and Happy New Year!
Natasha says
Hi Teresa! Thank you! I haven't tested it without sausage, but in theory that should work. Maybe sauté some mushrooms too (but be sure the liquid is cooked out so it doesn't make the final product watery). Or you could try using one of those Beyond Meat sausage products to replace the sausage if she likes that.
Lindsay Williams says
I'm excited to make this! I want to make it for a friend that just had their first baby. Do you know if it freezes well? When pulled from the freezer can they put it right in the oven to bake, does it have to be covered, temp etc? Thanks!
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
Hi Lindsay! That's so nice of you to do for your friend! See the "Can you make baked ziti ahead of time?" section of the blog post for all the info. 🙂
Heather says
Really excellent recipe! I omitted the ricotta. The sauce is delicious. New family favorite!
Natasha says
So happy you liked it, Heather!! Thanks for your review! 😀
Alyssa says
This looks delicious! Can you sub tomato puree for the crushed tomatoes?
Natasha says
Yes, that should be fine, Alyssa. Hope you enjoy it!
Jeaneman says
Unbelievable flavor! Just prepared this Ziti for family dinner - doubled it and baked in two dishes - one large, 2/3 recipe, and one 1/3 the size. Covered the large one with foil and baked at 350 for an hour, uncovered it and set under rover t brown a bit, then set it back in the over, covered, at 200 where it sat until we were ready to eat. PERFECTION! Will do this one again!
Natasha says
I'm thrilled to hear that!! 😀 Thank you!
Mike says
This was quite good. I used spicy Italian sausage, and because I don’t like Ricotta, I substituted a cup of Parmesan between the layers. I did manage to slightly burn the top with the broiler, despite the warning in the recipe. Also, I got lazy and used pre-shredded cheese, that stuff just doesn’t melt right. Next time, I’ll shred.
Natasha says
I'm glad you gave it a try, Mike! 🙂 I'm with you on the ricotta... I could leave it out too haha.
Emily says
Thought I followed all the steps… forgot the darn heavy cream 🤦🏽♀️.. at least I didn’t forget the cheese 🤣🤣.. let’s see how this goes🤷🏽♀️
Natasha says
Haha let me know!!
Donna says
In the oven right now! 💕. I’ve made this so many different ways and rarely follow a recipe, but tonight I followed exactly….well…I did add a little parm and mozzarella to the middle layer🤷♀️lol
Natasha says
I hope you love it, Donna!! 😀
Debbie Martinez says
This was a big hit with my boys!!! My two teenage athletes got full!!! It was the best ziti recipe I've ever made. It made it onto our repeat monthly dinners list.
Natasha says
That makes me so happy!! 🙂 Thanks so much for your review, Debbie!
Regina Michelle says
Okay doll, it’s in the oven the house smells amazing. The sauce was great when I tried it. Thank you for inspiration and a new dinner idea for me!
Love,
Regina Michelle
Riley says
If adding vegetables such as zucchini and mushroom, at what step should they be added? With the sausage?
Natasha says
Hi! I would say that for best results, browning the sausage first then transferring it to a plate and then sautéing the veggies in the pot for a while (until the water cooks off) is probably the way to go.
Kim says
So good! I think I like this better than lasagna. Thanks for the recipe, Natasha!
Natasha says
That's so nice to hear, Kim!! You're very welcome!
Jay says
Literally so good. My husband is not a pasta fan and devoured it. I even shared some with the neighbors cause it made so much that they had to steal the recipe!
Natasha says
I love that!!! That's awesome. Thanks so much for your review, Jay!
Lydia Frasier says
Absolutely delicious!!!
Natasha says
Thank you so much for your 5-star review, Lydia!! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it!