Baked Ziti with Sausage
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This bubbling baked ziti is perfect for feeding a crowd, and it freezes well too.
Photo by Johnny Miller, (Clarkson Potter, 2021)
This baked ziti is a MAJOR family-pleaser. Loaded with Italian sausage, which packs a ton of flavor, it’s similar to meat lasagna but without the fuss; it’s easy enough for a weeknight but also special enough for company; and it makes a great prep-ahead potluck dish. To save time, go ahead and use pre-shredded mozzarella cheese from a bag; just be sure it’s made from whole milk (low-fat won’t taste nearly as good). While the baked ziti is in the oven, throw together a big Italian salad and warm some bread, and dinner is served!
What You’ll Need to Make Baked Ziti with Sausage
Before we get to the step-by-step instructions, a few words about the ingredients:
- Ricotta cheese is a traditional addition to baked ziti, but I leave it out because it has a tendency to get dry and grainy when baked. I use heavy cream to add richness instead.
- For the mozzarella cheese, I recommend using whole milk mozzarella; it melts beautifully. You can purchase a plastic-wrapped brick of mozzarella (pictured above and 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, use pre-shredded mozzarella; just be sure it is made from whole milk. Avoid fresh buffalo mozzarella, which is best suited for salads.
- Many grocers sell bulk Italian sausage (pictured above), which is simply ground sausage without the casings. If you can’t find it, you can ask your butcher to take the meat out of the casings or do it yourself.
Step-by-Step Instructions For Baked Ziti
Step 1: Boil the Noodles
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti 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 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 garlic and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 1 minute.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, salt, sugar and red pepper flakes and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the heavy cream, 1/3 cup of the pecorino Romano, and 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 and half of the remaining pecorino Romano.
Spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and pecorino Romano.
Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the cheese has melted and browned, 15 to 20 minutes.
How To Make Baked Ziti Ahead
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, 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.
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Video Tutorial
Baked Ziti with Sausage
This bubbling baked ziti is perfect for feeding a crowd, and it freezes well too.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ziti noodles
- 1.5 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. Cook the ziti 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 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 garlic and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, sugar and red pepper flakes and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Add the cream, ⅓ cup of the pecorino Romano, cooked sausage, and 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 and half the remaining pecorino Romano. Spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and pecorino Romano. 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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I’m making two pans for Christmas Eve. Should I assemble and bake ahead of time and reheat? Or should I assemble (two days prior) and then bake in oven? Thank you!
Hi Hope, I’d assemble it ahead and then bake prior to serving. Hope everyone enjoys!
Hello Jenn! I am so grateful for your recipes…but this one I made twice and followed your instructions exactly and both times found it to be very dry with very little sauce…if any at all. Am I missing something? I feel like I need to double the amount of tomatoes and cream to make it saucy.
Hi Gail, sorry that this has come out dry for you! You could make more sauce and spoon it over individual servings. Alternatively, next time you make it, try reducing the baking time to 10 minutes and then pop it under the broiler for a minute or two just to brown the top.
Fantastic and easy. One of the few dishes where everyone went back for seconds. I added the sausage at the end so I could keep 1/4 the dish vegetarian for my daughter. Good for groups.
Easy to make and delicious! I made this for girls night and they loved it so much they asked for the recipe. I’m also making this for Thanksgiving side dish!
Ten Stars!! So good! I initially thought it would need some Italian seasoning but the spicy sausage and fresh basil were perfect! The sauce is superb! I used extra fresh mozzarella (b/c we love it). I used half regular Ziti and half Gluten Free Brown Rice Penne (Tinkyada brand), each in their own 8 X 8 pans, then divided the sausage/sauce mixture and cheeses between the pans. Definitely worth the extra effort.
Thank Jen !! I ended up buying the crushed tomatoes anyway B/C I needed the whole . mozzerella . Turned out awsome!! Next time I MIGHT add in a handful of fresh baby spinach if I have some that needs using up.
Glad it came out nicely! 🙂
Do you think a a can of Centro San Marzano whole tomatoes in puree would replace the crushed tomatoes IF I pulsed the whole tomatoes in a food processor or blender ? Or would that be too thick?
I think it’d be fine. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn, I love your recipes and I have made this many times as is. I am planning to make this for a family function but two members do not like sausage ( I try to sneak it in and they always know!). What would you recommend as an alternative? Thank you!
Hi Marie, So glad you like the recipes! You could make a vegetarian version of this. A number of readers have commented that they’ve done that by adding sauteed veggies (like bell peppers, mushrooms, etc.) instead of the sausage. You can use ground beef here; I’d just make sure it’s well-seasoned as the sausage has a lot of seasoning. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn, I’ve made this many times and it’s always incredibly delicious. For an upcoming potluck I need to substitute beef for the sausage and you mention here “well-seasoning” the beef. Is it possible for you to list the specifics for this (type and amount to add to the beef)? I always follow your recipes to the “t” and am a huge fan! Thanks!
So glad you like the recipes! 🙂
This will guide you a bit in seasoning your sausage. (You don’t have to follow this exactly — it just provides some seasonings that are found in Italian sausage). Hope it’s helpful!
This was amazing! I could not find ziti noodles so I googled the next best thing…rigatoni it was! We don’t have “sweet” sausage here in Canada but we do have honey garlic. I used 3 honey garlic sausages and 3 mild Italian sausages. I added one medium diced onion (while cooking the garlic) and I had some fresh spinach that needed to get used up so I roughly chopped it and added it to the pan with the sauce just before combining everything. This is definitely going to be a “repeat” dish! Thank you for sharing
What temperature should the oven be when making this fresh (425 as with frozen)?
Correct – enjoy! 🙂
Recently made this for large family gathering (I made two trays) and it was absolutely delicious and a definite crowd pleaser!! I did not change a single thing! Several guests asked for the recipe & I was happy to print it for them. This recipe is a keeper & I will be making it for Thanksgiving instead of my usual lasagna.
Ended up quite dry. Didn’t have ziti so used fusilli pasta. Would that make a difference? I expected it to be creamier.
Hi Bette, I’m sorry this came out dry for you! The fusilli shouldn’t have made a difference assuming you used the same amount. Did you make any other adjustments to the recipe?
No I didn’t. Added some marinara sauce to it tonight and it was delish!
Got it – I’m sorry it was a bit dry, but glad the marinara helped!
This just a beautiful recipe. I have used it now for years and it is a gathering meal every time. I have of course tweaked it, but not by much.
Equal parts shredded carrots and onions softened, then the sausage, a little red wine, and proceed Thanks for this recipe!
Okay, listen; I was *extremely* suspicious about the use of cream in a ziti, but I too find baked ricotta to be unpleasantly gritty so I figured, eh, lemme give it a try.
This was *fantastic*. I used crumbled mild Italian sausage and cubed hot Italian sausage and it was so flavorful. Next time I might try leaving out the sugar. It neutralized the acid beautifully but I think a little acid would lift the flavors a bit. I might even experiment with adding in some asiago!
Loved it, a hit with everyone🤩
Five stars! We loved this. It takes a bit of prep but its worth every minute. Served it with a caesar salad. Looking forward to the “leftovers” tonight.
I made this with vegan sausage. Cooked the sausage in some oil and wine then followed the rest of the recipe as is. It was delicious!
Terrific recipe, and one that is wonderfully flexible once you get a hang of it. Now, before y’all start groaning about, “OMG… it’s THAT person…”, I want to say that, in fact I have made this recipe as written, and it’s very, very good. I have also made it with Jen’s Bolognese sauce recipe as the sauce (takes a little longer, but probably my favorite version, and a HUGE crowd-pleaser for movie night). BTW, Jen’s Bolognese sauce is OUTSTANDING.
Because of dietary restrictions, time available, and what I had on hand, I took the basic concept and did a vegetarian version for a party recently, with sauteed vegetables and a good-quality, jarred marinara sauce. To add a little more body, I spread a layer of ricotta instead of using the cream. I know, I know… this basically deconstructed the original recipe, but it really did come out incredibly well as a lighter, vegetarian version of the recipe. So yes, the recipe works! You can’t destroy it! 😉
This is the best baked ziti I’ve ever had. The sauce is perfect and just the right proportion. We finished all leftovers, which rarely happens. I’ll definitely make this again.
The double batch came out perfect and was a huge hit at our party. One of our guests can’t eat dairy, so we microwaved a smaller non-dairy portion for her (since we forgot to put it in the oven with the other pans). That portion was also a hit, even though it never made it to the oven. Another keeper – thank you, Jenn!
I plan to prepare this dish the day before and refrigerate until ready to bake. The directions are unclear as to how long to bake (and if it needs to be covered) if preparing ahead of time. I only see instructions for how to bake if frozen. Can you please clarify?
Hi Melinda, Sorry if it wasn’t clear. You don’t need to bake it with foil and you can remove it from the fridge about an hour ahead of time to take the chill off; if not, it may take a few extra minutes in the oven to get hot throughout. Hope you enjoy!
Do you need to increase the fluid in the original recipe in case the pasta absorbs moist in the fridge over night? Or do you add extra fluid before reheating? What would you add? Note will be using Catelli gluten free penne. I am preping this the night before for a potluck dinner. Thanks
Hi Dora-Lynn, You shouldn’t need to add any additional liquid when making this ahead. Enjoy!
Fantastic dish! It’s now part of our family’s regular meal rotation. I’ve also served it to several of my children’s friends; they all love it! Great recipe. Thank you.
This is a delicious recipe for a make-ahead dinner for family or guests. I used 1 pound of Italian sausage and 1 pound of spicy Italian. Other than that I followed the recipe. I was able to fit it all into a smaller white casserole that made a pretty presentation. I thought it looked better heaped up, then spread out in a 13 X 9. I served it with a big salad. It was a hit.
I’ve made this recipe more than once, with regular pasta and with gluten-free pasta. It’s excellent and truly is a crowd-pleaser! Also it’s just so easy and tasty, but with so few ingredients. I have a busy weekend ahead, doing end-of-the year yard clean-up and prepping for a business trip next week and I still have time to make this dish, so I can enjoy some this weekend and freeze some for when I return from my trip. Perfect!
I’m unsure of whether to bake this covered with foil or not. I made this early in the afternoon and refrigerated it to bake about an hour or so later. Covered or uncovered?
Hi Mary, I may be weighing in to late to be helpful, but you bake it uncovered. 🙂
This looks so good!!! My husband prefers a smooth tomato sauce, could I use tomato purée instead of the crushed tomatoes? How big of a can? Thanks!!
Yes, I think you could get away with it. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
It turned out amazing! My husband loved it (as did I). So good! I will definitely make this again. Thank you.
Just a note for next time : I found that Centro brand San Marzano CRUSHED tomatoes turned out smooth and no need to switch to tomato puree.
This recipe goes great with a knee replacement! I had a total knee replacement 4 weeks ago and had to plan for meals during my recovery stage. Having previously made Jenn’s baked ziti, this was the first recipe I chose to make in advance.
I made it, froze it and later pulled out of freezer to prepare for the first of several servings. So helpful and delicious – especially when making my recovery process easier.
Hope your recovery is going smoothly!
I rarely have red sauce pasta recipes turn out well for me, but this is the exception. So good! Thanks for the easy and super-tasty recipe. Will absolutely make again.
I have been asked by friends for my Baked Ziti recipe. Not anymore! Even my 11 year old grandson prefers your recipe over Nonna’s. Great recipe, great flavor. Thanks Jenn!
I have made this recipe so many times!! Never disappoints. There are only two of us, but this freezes exceptionally well.
Hi Jenn,
Can I safely double the recipe? I may use a bigger pan, or will divide between 2 pans. I’m making this for 20+ people this week. LOVE your recipes. Thank you!
Yes, it’s fine to double the recipe. For the most even cooking, I’d suggest two pans.:)
It was amazing. Possibly the tastiest baked pasta I have made and I was skeptical using heavy cream instead of ricotta. I rarely post comments.
Not enough sauce
Not to be a brat but your pasta is rigatoni. I made this tonight for dinner, I can’t wait to eat it. Thanks for the recipe!
Rigatoni is a pasta type, while Ziti is pasta itself. Rigatoni is larger as compared to Ziti, slightly curved but not as curved as elbow macaroni. Rigatoni is a little bigger than Ziti pasta, while some brands of Rigatoni and Ziti might look identical.
In the photo it says “ziti” right on the bag.
Vraiment délicieux! WOW! We really loved it. I think that my spicy italian sausages from my Italian butcher made a great difference.
This is the first of your recipes that I made. An American friend recommend your blog to me and I see why. You have so much great meals that just need to be experienced.
Voilà. I would have liked to send you a picture of the dish, but I’m not in to Instagram.
AMAZING! I’m not a fan of many pasta dishes but this was amazing! My husband demolished it and said it’s one of his new favorite dishes now lol. Thank you for the recipe.
It’s perfect.
I would like to make one without any meat. Suggestions on what I should add or omit? Making for a group of teenagers so not sure about adding additional vegetables. I would like to make one with meat and one without. Thank you!
Hi Heather, A number of readers have commented that they’ve made a vegetarian version of this and have added sauteed veggies (like bell peppers, mushrooms, etc.) instead of the sausage. That said, I really prefer this with sausage because it adds a ton of flavor. You may want to consider this lasagna recipe instead. Hope you enjoy whatever you try!
Hi! Why not replace with a vegetarian sausage, eg, Impossible or Beyond Meat? I think that vegetarian ground beef would work as well!
Hi Diana, that’s also a good alternative — please LMK how it comes out if you try it!
I enjoy using a plant based Italian Sausage product (made by Morning Star Farms) — all the flavor and texture of real sausage. You might not want to publicize product names, but there are probably other brands…. also, consider adding a touch of fennel to veggies if you go that route
I made this tonight and just made the sauce for my vegetarian teen. Basically started at the step with the garlic and added everything but the meat. She loved it. I halved the recipe for her and then made the whole for the rest of us (with sausage). Soooo good.
Best baked penne (my kids prefer penne to ziti) I’ve ever made. This recipe is amazing!
A tried and true go-to!
Can I substitute turkey sausage?
Yep definitely 🙂
Yummy and easy. Still had some basil in the garden so that tasted fresh.
Hi Jenn, I’m going to leave out the meat (sadly) for a vegetarian friend this Friday night. Any changes to any other ingredients? Thanks!
Hi Vicki, Several readers have commented that they’ve made a vegetarian version of this and have added sauteed veggies (like bell peppers, mushrooms, etc.) in place of the sausage. That said, I really prefer this with sausage because it adds a ton of flavor. You may want to consider this lasagna recipe instead. Hope that helps!
hi! im a little confused about the cook time. at the top of the recipe it says 50 mins cook time and 40 mins prep. But then only says 20 mins top for baking it .. is that right? only 20 mins bake time? where does the other 30 mins cook time come from?
Hi Laurie, the cook time includes the time it takes to cook the pasta and sausage/sauce. Hope that clarifies and that you enjoy the ziti!
This is a fantastic recipe!