This baked ziti recipe is loaded with sausage and cheesy deliciousness! Perfect as a freezer meal or a big family dinner, this baked pasta dish is made with al dente pasta, a marinara meat sauce, and plenty of mozzarella and pecorino romano cheese!
This is one of my Pasta recipes I know you’ll want to keep on hand!
Italian-style, or Italian-American food is one of my favorite types of cuisine, and thankfully, my family agrees.
There’s something very comforting about pasta, and this baked ziti is no exception!
I love the deep savory flavors, and how hearty it is. Plus this recipe is great for those who are newer to cooking, as it uses minimal ingredients and simple techniques.
If you’re a seasoned pro in the kitchen, you can easily jazz this baked ziti up (of which I’ve detailed some suggestions in the “variations of this recipe” heading below).
With various make-ahead, prep-ahead, and freezing instructions, you’re sure to find a method that works best for you and your schedule, so you can have this ultra-comforting dinner on your table soon!
What do I need to make this recipe?
- Pasta – ziti is the pasta type that’s called for in this recipe, but you can use any short cut of pasta (like rigatoni, penne, etc).
- Olive oil – this is just used to help brown the sausage.
- Italian sausage – you can use mild/sweet or hot sausage.
- Marinara sauce – to save time, this recipe uses store-bought marinara. You can use homemade if you prefer.
- Red pepper flakes – this adds a touch of heat, but nothing crazy.
- Mozzarella cheese – I prefer to use whole milk shredded mozzarella, but skim or low fat will work as well.
- Pecorino romano cheese – this cheese is a bit sharper and saltier than Parmesan, but should still be relatively easy to find.
- Garlic (not pictured) – if you don’t want to use fresh garlic, you could use about 1 Tbsp of pre-minced garlic from a jar.
- Parsley – this is used as a garnish, so it’s optional, but I love adding a touch of freshness on top of a baked dish.
How to make Italian sausage baked ziti:
This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.
- Boil pasta. I prefer to boil it a minute or so shy of al dente (since it’ll be baked), then drain it.
- Cook sausage. Break it up into crumbles as it cooks. Drain if needed, then add garlic.
- Add sauce. Pour in the marinara and add the red pepper flakes. Simmer a bit.
- Combine pasta and sauce. If you skillet is large enough, you can do this in there, or you can use a mixing bowl.
- Transfer to baking dish. I like to layer this, so I do half of the pasta, then half the cheeses, then repeat.
- Bake. The ziti is baked uncovered, so the cheese gets nice and melty, and a little golden.
Helpful Tip!
Since this is a baked pasta recipe, I like to boil the pasta for a little bit less than what the package recommends for al dente (otherwise you may end up with slightly mushy pasta). So if the package says 10-11 minutes, I boil the pasta for 9 minutes. Don’t worry, it will continue to cook while it’s in the oven.
Variations of this recipe
- Meat – instead of Italian sausage, feel free to use ground beef or ground pork, or a combination of them.
- Marinara – to keep this recipe simple, I typically a 32 oz jar of store-bought marinara sauce (I love Rao’s). But if you’d like to use homemade marinara, you certainly can, just use an equal amount (about 4 cups).
- Spicy – if you like a little heat, try using hot Italian sausage instead of mild/sweet.
- Onion – if you’re an onion fan, you can add a medium yellow onion that’s been diced to this recipe, just add it to the skillet after browning the sausage.
- Spices/herbs – I purposely kept this recipe very minimal (as some of my readers have been requesting recipes with less ingredients), but please feel free to adjust the amounts or add your favorite spices and herbs to the mix. For example, I like to add 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning, a pinch of dried thyme, and some fresh basil to the sauce.
- Parmesan – the pecorino romano cheese adds a bolder flavor, but if you’d prefer a more mild cheese, Parmesan is a good substitute. Freshly grated tastes best, but pre-grated/shredded will also work well.
FAQ’s
No, I make zero claims of authenticity when it comes to this baked penne recipe. This is just how my family loves this recipe, and it’s an Italian-American meal.
Absolutely! Feel free to use any short-cut of pasta (such as rigatoni, rotini, penne, farfalle, campanelle, etc). That’s not to say that longer cuts (such as spaghetti, linguine, etc) wouldn’t work, they’d just make this a bit harder to eat.
Making baked ziti ahead of time
This recipe is super easy to assemble entirely ahead of time.
Just assemble the baked ziti in the baking dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate for 1-2 days.
Let it sit on the counter while the oven preheats, then bake as directed (adding a bit of extra time since the baking dish will still be a bit chilled).
You can also make parts of the dish ahead of time, which significantly cuts down on the prep time:
- Sauce – the marinara and sausage sauce can be made several days ahead of time and kept refrigerated.
- Pasta – you can boil the pasta, drain it, toss it with a bit of olive oil, and keep it refrigerated.
Freezing
This is a great freezer meal! Assemble the pasta in a freezer-safe container and cover tightly with 2 layers of foil, or a tight fitting lid.
Freeze for up to 3-6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, then bake as directed, adding a bit of extra time to account for the dish being cold.
Storage
Leftover pasta should be refrigerated in an airtight container and enjoyed within 4-5 days.
My Favorite Baking Dish!
You can use any deep 9×13 pan, but I really like the high sides of this baking dish… no need to worry about things bubbling over in the oven!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- 16 oz dried ziti pasta see chef tips #2
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb. ground Italian sausage hot or mild/sweet
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 32 oz marinara sauce I like to use Rao's brand
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese divided
- minced fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
Prepare
- Preheat oven to 350°F and butter a 9×13" baking dish. Set baking dish aside.
Boil pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil ziti about a minute less than the package directions for al dente. Drain and set aside (stirring occasionally to prevent it sticking together).
Cook sausage
- Heat a large deep skillet over MED HIGH heat. Once hot, add the olive oil and sausage and cook, crumbling as it browns, for about 5-6 minutes, until cooked through. Drain.
- Add the cooked sausage back to the skillet, then add garlic and stir well.
Add sauce and simmer
- Pour in marinara sauce and add the red pepper flakes. Stir well to combine, then lower the heat to keep the sauce at a simmer.
- Simmer for about 10 minutes, until heated through and slightly thickened.
Combine
- Remove skillet from the heat, then stir in the cooked pasta.
Bake
- Transfer half of the ziti mixture to the prepared baking dish, then top with half of the mozzarella and romano cheeses.
- Top with the remaining ziti mixture, and remaining mozzarella and romano cheeses.
- Bake in preheated oven, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
Cool and serve
- Remove from oven and set aside for 5-10 minutes, then sprinkle with parsley and serve!
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
Chef Tips
- I’ve estimated this recipe serves 6, but you’re free to divide the baking dish up into as many servings as you’d like.
- Other short-cuts of pasta can be substituted for the ziti. Penne, rigatoni, faraflle, campanelle, etc are great options.
- Pre-shredded mozzarella works just fine for this recipe, but I do recommend using a wedge of Pecorino Romano and shredding/grating it yourself.
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Stephanie says
This was really great! I would leave it in the oven for another 5-10 minutes to really let the cheese melt on top of the pasta. I didn’t have Italian sausage, so I used regular ground beef and added lots of spices to it. Overall great recipe to make and eat on for days.