This Easy Baked Ziti recipe is the ultimate comfort food, combining tender pasta, rich tomato sauce, and gooey melted cheese. Perfect for family dinners or special gatherings, it’s easy to prepare and always a crowd-pleaser. With layers of cheesy goodness and hearty flavors, this baked ziti will quickly become a favorite in your home!

Full Recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 medium yellow onion (1 ¾ cups), chopped

• 1 lb mild or hot Italian sausage

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

• 2 ½ tablespoons tomato paste

• 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped (plus more for topping)

• 4 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (divided)

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese

• 1 large egg

• 12 oz ziti pasta (about 3 cups)

• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)

• ¾ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese (divided)

Directions

1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

2. Cook the Sausage: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions and sauté for 2 minutes. Then, add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into pieces, until browned. Add the garlic in the last minute of cooking. Drain excess fat.

3. Simmer the Sauce: Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, 2 tablespoons parsley, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes.

4. Prepare the Cheese Mixture: In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, 2 tablespoons of parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth and set aside.

5. Cook the Pasta: Boil the ziti pasta in salted water according to package instructions. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta. Return it to the pot, adding the reserved pasta water and 1 cup of sauce. Stir to coat the pasta.

6. Assemble the Dish: Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray. Spread 1 ⅓ cups of sauce at the bottom. Add half of the pasta, followed by dollops of the ricotta mixture. Spread the remaining pasta over the ricotta mixture, then top with the remaining sauce.

7. Top with Cheese: Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top. Tent with foil, making sure it doesn’t touch the cheese, and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

8. Serve: Let the ziti rest for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with extra basil and parsley.

Nutrients (per serving)

• Calories: 380 kcal

• Protein: 22g

• Fat: 18g

  • Saturated Fat: 9g

• Carbohydrates: 35g

  • Fiber: 3g

  • Sugars: 8g

• Cholesterol: 55mg

• Sodium: 520mg

• Potassium: 380mg

Why This Recipe Works

Baked ziti is a comforting and hearty dish that combines simple ingredients in a way that results in maximum flavor. The recipe is incredibly versatile, so you can tweak it to suit your tastes or dietary preferences, making it a perfect base for customization. The rich tomato sauce made from crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste is perfectly seasoned with fresh basil and parsley. The Italian sausage adds a savory depth that pairs beautifully with the creamy ricotta cheese and melty mozzarella. These layers of flavors come together perfectly when baked, resulting in a deliciously satisfying meal.

The best part? This dish is a one-pan wonder, with minimal prep and cleanup involved. Everything is assembled in a baking dish, making it simple to serve and easy to clean up after.

The Perfect Tomato Sauce

A key component of baked ziti is the tomato sauce, and this recipe delivers with a rich, flavorful sauce that’s simple to make. The combination of crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste creates a thick, hearty sauce that serves as the perfect base for the ziti. The addition of fresh basil and parsley gives the sauce a bright, herbaceous flavor, while the sausage provides a savory depth that balances the acidity of the tomatoes. By simmering the sauce for 15 minutes, the flavors meld together beautifully, creating a robust and satisfying sauce that will coat the pasta perfectly.

The Cheese Mixture: Creamy and Flavorful

The ricotta cheese mixture is what makes baked ziti so indulgent. Combining ricotta cheese with an egg, parsley, and a bit of seasoning creates a creamy layer that complements the savory sauce and pasta. Ricotta adds richness and creaminess to the dish, making it the perfect filling component between layers of pasta and sauce. When baked, the ricotta becomes even smoother and richer, creating a delightful contrast to the crispy top layer of cheese.

The addition of mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses on top of the ziti creates that quintessential gooey, cheesy top that everyone loves. The mozzarella melts beautifully, while the Parmesan adds a savory, slightly tangy bite that enhances the overall flavor of the dish. It’s the perfect balance of textures—creamy, gooey, and golden brown.

Assembly and Baking: Simple and Delicious

Assembling the dish is straightforward. After simmering the sauce and preparing the cheese mixture, you simply layer everything in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Start with a base layer of sauce, then add half of the cooked pasta, followed by dollops of the ricotta mixture. Add the rest of the pasta and top it with the remaining sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan. The foil tent during baking helps to retain moisture, ensuring the cheese becomes perfectly melted without burning. After baking for about 25-30 minutes, the ziti comes out with a bubbly, golden cheese topping that’s sure to please.

Serving Suggestions

Baked ziti is delicious on its own, but it can also be paired with a variety of sides to round out the meal. A simple green salad with a tangy vinaigrette is a great choice to balance the richness of the ziti. The crispness and freshness of the salad provide a nice contrast to the creamy, cheesy pasta. You can also serve it with garlic bread or crusty rolls to soak up the extra sauce, which is always a hit.

For a more substantial meal, pair the ziti with roasted vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, or asparagus. The roasted veggies provide added nutrition and a delightful contrast to the hearty pasta.

Nutritional Information

Each serving of Easy Baked Ziti contains about 380 calories, making it a satisfying but not overly heavy meal. With 22 grams of protein per serving, it’s also a great source of lean protein, primarily from the sausage and ricotta cheese. The dish contains 18 grams of fat, including 9 grams of saturated fat from the cheese and sausage. While it is a richer meal, the addition of fiber from the pasta and tomatoes helps to balance the overall nutritional profile.

The baked ziti contains 35 grams of carbohydrates and 3 grams of fiber, making it a filling dish that provides long-lasting energy. The 8 grams of sugar come primarily from the natural sugars in the tomatoes. The dish is also relatively low in sodium, with only 520mg per serving, and provides a decent amount of potassium and calcium from the tomatoes and cheese.

Customizing the Recipe

One of the reasons this baked ziti recipe is so great is its versatility. You can easily adjust the recipe to suit different dietary preferences or make it your own. If you prefer a vegetarian version, simply omit the sausage and replace it with sautéed mushrooms or extra vegetables like spinach, zucchini, or bell peppers. You can also use a meat substitute like ground turkey or plant-based sausage for a leaner option.

For a lower-carb version, consider using gluten-free pasta or substituting zoodles (zucchini noodles) for the traditional ziti pasta. You can also swap out the ricotta cheese for a lighter option, such as cottage cheese or a dairy-free alternative, depending on your dietary needs.

Conclusion

Easy Baked Ziti is the ultimate comfort food, bringing together tender pasta, savory sausage, tangy tomato sauce, and a blend of creamy cheeses. This dish is perfect for any occasion, whether it’s a casual family dinner or a special gathering with friends. The simplicity of the recipe, combined with its rich flavors, makes it a go-to meal that is sure to become a family favorite. With its ability to be easily customized and made in advance, it’s the kind of dish that will always be in your dinner rotation. Enjoy the comforting, cheesy goodness of Easy Baked Ziti today!