Description
This Cheesy Baked Ziti combines rich flavors of Italian sausage, creamy marinara sauce, and gooey mozzarella, making it a simple yet delightful option for a quick family meal or comfort food craving.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ziti pasta
- 1 pound italian sausage, ground
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce, or homemade
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes, for serving
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and position the rack in the center.
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil, salt it, and cook the ziti until al dente as per package instructions; then drain the pasta.
- In a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat, brown the sausage with onion and garlic for about 8 minutes; drain excess fat.
- Stir in marinara sauce, tomato sauce, salt, italian seasoning, and heavy cream until well combined; add the cooked ziti and 1½ cups shredded mozzarella.
- Transfer the mixture to a 9×13 baking dish, then top with slices of fresh mozzarella and the remaining shredded mozzarella.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes until the pasta is tender; then remove the foil, add parmesan, and bake uncovered for another 5 minutes until cheese melts and sauce bubbles.
- Serve hot, garnished with red chili flakes and fresh basil.
Notes
For extra flavor, add crushed red pepper to taste.
Substitute ground beef or turkey for the sausage if preferred.
Make it vegetarian by omitting the meat and adding extra vegetables.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 930mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 80mg