Baked Ziti
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My baked ziti skips the ricotta for a silkier, creamier sauce that never bakes up dry or grainy. Made with Italian sausage, it’s easy enough for a weeknight and hearty enough for a crowd.
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 Italian sausage does a lot of the heavy lifting here, giving the sauce deep flavor without a long ingredient list. It’s doable on a weeknight yet special enough to serve to company, and it’s also a fantastic make-ahead potluck dish.
What really sets this version apart from most baked ziti recipes is what’s not in it: ricotta. I know that’s the classic approach, but after lots of testing, I landed on a cream-based sauce instead—and I think it makes for a better dish. More on why below.
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!
“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.”
Why I skip The Ricotta
Most baked ziti recipes call for dolloping in ricotta, but baked at high heat, it tends to dry out and turn grainy—exactly the texture problem people worry about with baked ziti. So instead, I build the sauce with heavy cream and grated cheese. Stirred into the whole dish rather than dolloped throughout, it coats every piece of pasta evenly and keeps the ziti moist, down to the last leftover bite.
What You’ll Need to Make Baked Ziti
- Ziti noodles – Rigatoni or penne work fine too; look for a ridged shape that holds onto sauce.
- Italian sausage – Bulk sausage is easiest to crumble, but links work if you remove the casings first. Sweet or spicy, your call.
- Garlic: Adds savory depth to the sauce.
- Canned crushed tomatoes – The base of the sauce.
- Salt, sugar, and red pepper flakes – The sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes; don’t skip it.
- Heavy cream – Stands in for ricotta here (see above).
- Pecorino Romano – Parmigiano Reggiano works as a substitute if that’s what you have.
- Pecorino Romano: Lends a sharp and salty flavor. Parmigiano Reggiano cheese can be substituted if needed.
- Fresh Basil: Adds a fresh, aromatic finish.
- Mozzarella Cheese: 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, use pre-shredded mozzarella; just be sure it is made from whole milk, not part-skim.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Boil the noodles. Since the ziti finishes cooking in the oven, boil it a few minutes short of al dente on the stovetop—it’ll continue cooking in the casserole dish and won’t turn mushy by the time it’s done baking.
Step 2: Make the sauce. Brown the sausage first, then use the same pan (with just a bit of the rendered fat left behind) to soften the garlic and simmer the tomatoes. Finish the sauce with cream, cheese, and basil.
Step 3: Combine the sauce and pasta. Pour the sauce into the pot with the drained pasta and stir gently until every piece is coated—this is what keeps the ziti from baking up dry in spots.
Step 4: Assemble and bake. Spread half of the pasta mixture in the baking dish, then sprinkle with half of the mozzarella and pecorino. Top with the remaining pasta mixture and the rest of the cheese. Layering it this way—rather than stirring all the cheese in at once—gives you a stretchy, melted layer running through the middle of the dish, not just on top. Bake until bubbling and browned.
Baked ziti can be assembled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking. It can also be frozen before or after baking, for up to 3 months. See the recipe card notes below for freezing and reheating instructions.
More Classic Italian Dishes You’ll Love
Video Tutorial
Baked Ziti
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 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 (220°C) 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 4 cloves of minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the can of crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, 1½ teaspoons sugar, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Add the cream, ⅓ cup (33 g) 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 (23 x 33-cm) baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella (1 cup/113 g) and half the remaining pecorino Romano (1½ tablespoons). Spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella (1 cup/113 g) 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.
Notes
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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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Hi Jen,
I never thought to write a review for a recipe but your recipes are amazing and have never let me down!!!! This is just one of several I have tried and it is the best as is everyone I have tried! I have served it countless times and it is always a hit! Thank you when I need to find a new recipe you are my go-to person! Or as my daughter and son in law say my “homegirl!” Thank you so much!
So glad you enjoy the recipes! xoxo
This was a big hit with me, because I could make it a day ahead. It was a big hit with my six guests the next night, and the leftovers just kept getting better. I didn’t change a thing, and it was delicious. I’m looking forward to making it again. I served it with Jennifer’s Big Italian Salad and Garlic Bread.
I have no idea how this recipe has such good reviews. It’s seriously the nastiest thing I’ve ever tasted. I made the recipe as written with the exception that I used hot Italian chicken sausage instead of pork sausage. Now, I admit it may be a personal taste thing but even my boyfriend really didn’t prefer it although he didn’t have the contempt for it that I have. I really don’t understand, it’s not because I’m an inexperienced cook, I just really didn’t like this recipe at all I guess. The flavor is not good.
No need to be rude Alison! Especially when you didn’t follow the recipe.
Obviously you’re not a good cook! If you follow the recipe it’s delicious.
Hello! Can I substitute the can of tomatoes for a jar or two of store bought butternut squash sauce? If so, do I follow the recipe the same? Thanks!
Hi Susie, yes, I think it’s possible to use an equal amount of butternut squash sauce in place of the crushed tomatoes but the finished dish will definitely have a different flavor. No other modifications necessary to the recipe if you go the butternut squash route. Please LMK how it turns out!
I am looking for a dish to make for a crowd (80 people) and think this may be it. Do you think it is easily adaptable for a large group (recipe times 8)? I will have a commercial size kitchen to work in and extra hands in the kitchen. Any special advice for a large batch?
Hi Deborah, I do think this would work nicely for a crowd. I’m assuming you’ll be making these in separate baking dishes? (I don’t think these will cook as evenly as you’d like if made in baking dishes that are too large.) Hope that helps and that everyone enjoys!
Thank you! Yes, probably double batches in each baking dish. Looking forward to trying this. Thanks for the recipe.
I would love to hear how it goes making this for a crowd. I’m planning to make this to feed the cast of my daughter’s high school musical during their last week of rehearsal.
my family loved it. making it again tonight!
Awesome dish!!
Hi Jenn — this is my second time making this most scrumptious dish, but I made a boo boo! I used chopped tomatoes instead of crushed, and the sauce (including cream, romano, etc), which I have not combined with the pasta yet, looks a bit soupy. Should I pour some of the liquid off before combining, or just put it together with the pasta and hope for the best? Thanks for any advice you can offer!
All best,
Eve
Hi Eve, If you have a blender or large food processor, I’d give it a whirl to thicken the sauce a bit; otherwise I’d just mix it with the pasta (the extra liquid should get absorbed by the noodles). Hope that helps!
I am such a fan of your recipes! I have made this dish several times and wonder if I can add the cream and cheese to the sauce and freeze until a later date when I can add the ziti and bake.
Hi Linda, So glad you like the recipes! I’ve never made and frozen just the sauce portion of this so I can’t say for sure, but I know that the whole dish freezes nicely, so I suspect you might be able to get away with it.
Wow! Great recipe. You are right. Adding heavy cream instead of ricotta makes this dish more moist, especially when heated back up. Thanks for sharing. Oh, and I decided to cook my sausage whole (casing removed), then cut it up after it’s cooked because I like bigger chunks of meat.
We LOVED it! I’ll definitely be making it again and I’m so excited you can do it as a freezer meal too. My kids love pasta dishes and this is a perfect one!