Baked Ziti
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Whip up my easy, crowd-pleasing baked ziti recipe—it’s perfect for cozy weeknights yet special enough for company, and an absolute superstar at potlucks!
Photo by Johnny Miller, (Clarkson Potter, 2021)
This baked ziti is a MAJOR crowd-pleaser, whether I’m hosting a family gathering or cooking for my son’s college friends (I usually double the recipe in that case!). In fact, I love it so much that it’s featured proudly on the cover of my second cookbook! The secret to its uniqueness lies in using Italian sausage, which is a shortcut to incredible flavor, and skipping the ricotta cheese, which tends to have a grainy texture in traditional baked ziti. The recipe is doable on a weeknight yet special enough to serve to company, and it’s also a fantastic make-ahead potluck dish.
If you’re looking to save time, you can opt for pre-shredded mozzarella cheese from a bag; just make sure it’s the whole milk version (the low-fat version isn’t nearly as good). As the baked ziti works its magic in the oven, throw together a big Italian salad and warm some garlic bread, and you’re ready to feast!
Table of Contents
“Simply outstanding…I made the ziti for a huge birthday party I hosted for a member of my family. Everyone (ages 5 to 91) devoured it.”
What You’ll Need to Make Baked Ziti
- Ziti Noodles: The main pasta component of the dish; rigatoni or penne can used as well.
- Italian Sausage: Bulk sausage is ideal as it can be easily crumbled, but you can also use sausage with casings, removing them before cooking.
- Garlic: Enhances the overall flavor of the sauce.
- Canned Crushed Tomatoes: Form the base of the tomato sauce, providing a rich and tangy flavor.
- Salt, Sugar, Red Pepper Flakes: Seasonings that balance the flavors of the sauce.
- Heavy Cream: Adds creaminess and richness to the tomato sauce.
- Pecorino Romano: Offers a sharp and salty flavor. Parmigiano Reggiano cheese can be substituted if needed.
- Fresh Basil: Provides a fresh and aromatic flavor.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Contributes to the cheesy, gooey, and indulgent texture of the baked ziti.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Boil the Noodles
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the 1 lb of ziti noodles according to the package instructions until a few minutes shy of al dente, about 7 minutes. (It will continue to cook in the oven, so you want to undercook it just a bit.) Drain and add the pasta back to the pot. Set aside.
Step 2: Make the Sauce
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, and crumble the 1½ lbs sausage into the pan.
Cook the sausage, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a plate.
Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan and set over low heat (if you don’t have enough fat in the pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil). Add the 4 cloves minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 1 minute.
Stir in the 28-oz can crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, 1½ teaspoons sugar, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the 1 cup heavy cream, 1/3 cup of the pecorino Romano, and 1/3 cup basil to the pan.
Then stir in the cooked sausage.
Carefully pour the contents of the sauté pan into the large pot with the pasta and gently stir to combine.
Step 3: Assemble & Bake
Spoon half of the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella (1 cup) and half of the remaining pecorino Romano (1½ tablespoons).
Spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella (1 cup) and pecorino Romano (1½ tablespoons).
Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the cheese has melted and browned, 15 to 20 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Whole milk mozzarella is best. You can purchase a plastic-wrapped brick of mozzarella (usually sold in the dairy case) and shred it yourself. To make it easier to work with, pop it in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes prior to shredding. Or, to save time time, it’s perfectly fine to use pre-shredded mozzarella; just be sure it is made from whole milk. Avoid fresh buffalo mozzarella, which is best suited for salads.
Yes, the dish can be assembled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days in advance. Bake, covered tightly with aluminum foil, in a 425°F (220°C) oven for 25 minutes. Then uncover and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is lightly browned and the pasta is hot throughout.
Absolutely! Baked ziti is a great candidate for freezing, and it can be frozen for up to 3 months before or after baking. If you freeze before baking, thaw the dish in the refrigerator overnight and bake, covered tightly with aluminum foil, in a 425°F (220°C) oven for 25 minutes. Then uncover and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is lightly browned and the pasta is hot throughout. To freeze after baking, let the dish cool completely, then cut it into individual portions or leave it whole. Wrap the portions tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or place them in an airtight container. To reheat, simply thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake until heated through.
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Video Tutorial
Baked Ziti
Whip up my easy, crowd-pleasing baked ziti recipe—it’s perfect for cozy weeknights yet special enough for company, and an absolute superstar at potlucks!
Ingredients
- 1 lb ziti noodles
- 1½ lbs ground spicy or sweet Italian sausage (or removed from casings)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup plus 3 tablespoons grated pecorino Romano (or Parmigiano Reggiano) cheese, divided
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving
- 8 oz whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the 1 lb of ziti noodles and cook according to the package directions for very al dente, about 7 minutes. (It will continue to cook in the oven so you want to undercook it just a bit.) Drain and add the pasta back to the pot. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and set the oven rack in the middle position.
- Heat a large sauté pan (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat. Crumble the 1½ lbs of sausage into the pan and cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a plate. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan and set over low heat (if you don't have enough fat in the pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil). Add the 4 cloves of minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, 1½ teaspoons sugar and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Add the 1 cup cream, ⅓ cup of the pecorino Romano, cooked sausage, and ⅓ cup basil to the pan; stir until evenly combined. Carefully pour the contents of the sauté pan into the large pot with the pasta and gently stir to combine. Spoon half of the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella (1 cup) and half the remaining pecorino Romano (1½ tablespoons). Spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella (1 cup) and pecorino Romano (1½ tablespoons). Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the cheese has melted and browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with more basil and serve.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The dish can be assembled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days in advance, or frozen for up to 3 months. (If frozen, defrost in the refrigerator overnight.) Whether refrigerated or frozen and defrosted, bake, covered tightly with aluminum foil, in a 425°F oven for 25 minutes. Then uncover and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is lightly browned and the pasta is hot throughout.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Calories: 613
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated fat: 18 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Sugar: 6 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Sodium: 913 mg
- Cholesterol: 111 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Comments
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Hi Jenn, made this dish several times for my husband and myself – it is always very good. Fast forward I made it for friends and was told it was really “ too rich” with the heavy cream. Can I skip the heavy cream or substitute something else and if so what? Thank you so much, Cora.
Hi Cora, You can replace the cream with half and half.
Ok Jenn, I will definitely try that! Thank you for you swift reply. Cora
Do you drain the can of tomatoes?
No, you use the entire can. Enjoy!
What is the best method for freezing this dish?
I’d assemble and freeze it unbaked. See the bottom of the recipe for Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly instructions.
I like this with a bit more sauce but I am making it for just 4 people. Rather than increasing the sauce, can I simple use the recipe as is but decrease the amount of noodles to 12 oz? Also, I use linguini instead of ziti, does that change how much sauce gets absorbed?
Hi Joni, It’s fine to use 12 ounces of pasta instead of 16 ounces, but I wouldn’t use linguini. If you can’t find ziti, I’d recommend rigatoni or penne.
This recipe is fantastic. Easy to make. I prepped it the day before then brought it to room temperature and baked. It turned out great. My guest loved it. I used the spicy sausage. Put some pecorino cheese on the table for my guest to add more cheese. It was great. We both loved it. Now I have leftovers for my lunch this week. Delicious. I highly recommend this recipe.
I prepared this dish yesterday, but I didn’t have time to bake it. I wrapped tightly and it is in the fridge now. I need to deliver it tonight to a family with a seriously ill little girl. I saw the instructions to bake covered and then bake without a cover, but I am concerned about it drying out… So I saw this comment that an alternative approach is to leave the ziti out to get room temperature. Is there advice on which approach works best? And if it’s better to leave out so ziti gets to room temperature – how long would that be?
Hi Sue, You truly can go either way. If you leave it on the counter, an hour should be sufficient.
We liked this recipe a lot, but our small family didn’t finish it last night, and I covered it tightly and stored in the refrigerator. Today I put some on a microwavable plate and reheated on a medium power. I was surprised to find the pasta to be very chewy/tough/leathery. I have stored and reheated spaghetti, lasagna and macaroni this way and found it to be very good. This is my first time to buy and use ziti. Do you have any suggestions? Wondered if I should have added liquid before reheating, or…? I did not microwave for too long, and it was definitely covered well in the refrigerator, although not vacuum-sealed.
Hii Judy, sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy this after microwaving. For any additional leftovers, I’d reheat them in a 300° oven, covered with foil until heated through.
I made this delicious pasta recipe and we loved it. But Jenn, we only ate about a third, and the rest is in my fridge, covered with foil. Since it’s already cooked, how would you recommend to reheat it? I was thinking of heating 2 portions at about 325 for about a half hour or until it’s hot?
Glad you liked it! That sounds good. I think I’d opt for a 300-degree oven (and I’d cover it with foil).
This pasta dish is amazing. The crushed tomatoes, heavy cream, and shredded mozzarella came together to make a simple, elegant sauce. It’s perfect for a fireside supper at home with lots of leftovers, or to serve at a refined dinner party any time!
Jenn Segal has done it again!!
This baked ziti is delicious. I would like to 11/2 the sauce.
along with the tomatoes would I double the grated cheese, cream, basil and seasonings.
I will be cooking for a large group and using big pans so I don’t want it to dry out.
Only reason I want to add more sauce. It is really the best baked ziti and the only one I’ve ever liked. My go to.
Glad you like it! If you’d like to make 1.5 times the sauce, yes, I’d increase everything else aside from the pasta. Hope everyone enjoys. 😊
Hi Jenn,
I have made this several times and everyone loves it. I was going to make it tomorrow for friends, but one does not eat pork. What would be a good substitute?
Thank you,
Susan
Hi Susan, Glad it’s been a hit. You can use turkey sausage in place of the pork sausage.
Hi Jenn. A quick question that I shouldn’t ask a chef! My family doesn’t like tomato pieces and I’m hoping to sub in a Rao’s Marinara sauce for the crushed tomatoes. I know it won’t be the same! Suggestions? Thought I would omit most of the seasonings then?
If I puree the crushed tomatoes and follow the recipe I’m thinking there will tiny tomato pieces thru out. Help.
Hi Susan, I’d go with pureeing the crushed tomatoes. Once you purée them, I believe that you won’t be able to detect any tomato pieces.
Crowd pleaser! Easy to make and absolutely delicious