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This Baked Ziti Pasta is made with ziti noodles, sausage, marinara sauce, fresh basil, spices, whole milk mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, and heavy cream and baked until the cheese is melted. The best-baked ziti recipe! This is a perfect recipe to freeze or make ahead of time.
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5 from 6 votes

Baked Ziti

This Baked Ziti Pasta is made with ziti noodles, sausage, marinara sauce, fresh basil, spices, whole milk mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, and heavy cream and baked until the cheese is melted. The best-baked ziti recipe! This is a perfect recipe to freeze or make ahead of time.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
5 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: baked penne, baked penne pasta, baked ziti, baked ziti pasta, baked ziti with sausage, ziti recipe
Servings: 8
Author: Modern Honey® - www.modernhoney.com

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. Ziti Pasta *
  • 1 to 1 1/2 lbs. Italian Sausage
  • 4 Garlic Cloves (minced)
  • 28-ounce can Crushed Tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
  • 8 Fresh Basil Leaves ** (chopped)
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream
  • 1/2 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano Cheese
  • 2 to 3 cups Grated Whole Milk Mozzarella Cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Generously salt the water. Cook according to package instructions. Make the sauce while pasta is cooking. Drain the pasta and set aside.
  • Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook sausage until completely cooked through, about 7-10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.
  • Add crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and fresh basil. Cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in heavy cream.
  • Spread a thin layer of the sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Toss the cooked pasta with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and stir.
  • Sprinkle the top with grated mozzarella cheese. Cook for 20-24 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and lightly golden. Cover with foil if the cheese becomes too brown. *Tip -- spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray to keep the cheese from sticking to it.
  • Remove from the oven and let sit for at least 5 minutes to allow it to set up. Serve warm.

Notes

You can substitute with penne, mostaccioli, or rigatoni pasta
** may substitute 1 teaspoon of dried basil
For extra fresh flavor, add some dollops of Rao's marinara sauce on the top of the pasta before baking.

Nutrition

Calories: 559kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 1396mg | Potassium: 382mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 846IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 325mg | Iron: 9mg