🧀 Easy Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage
Comfort-food made simple — savory Italian sausage, rich tomato sauce, melted fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil baked to bubbly perfection.
⏱ Prep: 5 min | Cook: 40 min | Total: 45 min
🍴 Serves: 8
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🛒 Ingredients
1 lb ziti pasta
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt, to taste
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1½ lbs Italian sausage with fennel (bulk or remove casings)
2 (14-oz) cans diced tomatoes
20 basil leaves or more, torn (divided into two portions)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced
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👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Preheat oven to 350 °F (175 °C).
2️⃣ Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, add the pasta, and remove from heat about 3 minutes before the time indicated on the package. Drain.
3️⃣ Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add onion and sauté until translucent and slightly golden (~5 minutes). Add garlic and sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is fully browned. Then add the diced tomatoes and half the basil leaves. Reduce heat to medium and cook for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
4️⃣ Layer: Return the cooked pasta to the pot, add half of the Parmesan and half of the sauce. Stir to combine. If the skillet isn’t oven-safe, transfer everything to a large baking dish. Top with the remaining sauce and arrange mozzarella slices on top.
5️⃣ Bake, finish, and serve: Bake uncovered in the pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and fresh basil on top. Serve hot.
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Baked ziti is a beloved Italian-American comfort dish, cherished for its hearty layers of pasta, savory meat sauce, and melted cheeses. Using Italian sausage with fennel adds a distinctive aromatic flavor that pairs beautifully with the tangy diced tomatoes and fresh basil. To elevate this recipe, consider using fire-roasted diced tomatoes for a smoky depth or adding a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce for a subtle kick. When cooking the pasta, removing it from boiling water a few minutes before al dente ensures it will finish cooking evenly in the oven without becoming too soft. For even richer flavor, try substituting half of the mozzarella with provolone or adding a blend of Italian cheeses such as fontina or pecorino romano alongside Parmesan. Fresh herbs like basil are key to balancing the richness of the sauce and cheese, so adding extra torn basil leaves on top just before serving brightens every bite. This recipe also works well as a make-ahead meal; prepare it fully, cover tightly, refrigerate, then bake when ready, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time if coming straight from the fridge. For those looking to lighten the dish, swapping regular sausage for turkey sausage and reducing the cheese slightly can keep it delicious yet lower in fat. Additionally, incorporating vegetables like sautéed mushrooms or spinach can increase nutrients while complementing the flavors. Baked ziti makes a perfect crowd-pleaser for weeknight dinners, potlucks, or holiday gatherings. Serve alongside a crisp green salad and crusty garlic bread to complete this classic, crowd-pleasing Italian comfort food.
