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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Made this tonight and it was a hit! Husband ate 1/3 of it! I’m wondering if I can sub it with any other sausages since I’m not a fan of Italian sausages?
Glad it was a hit! Yes, feel free to use your favorite sausage here. 🙂
Jenn we loved this dish, very tasty! I find myself turning to your blog often, your recipes I’ve made have all turned out delicious. Your pumpkin muffins are the best, bar none. I have so many of your recipes lined up to make, I’m excited to have found you, & now you’re my top go to out of five top favorites. I bought your cookbook, please do another one!! And put some of your Highest rated recipes in it. Thanks for sharing your love of cooking gift with us.
So glad you enjoyed this and that my blog has become a go-to for you — thanks for your very kind words!
Hi Jenn
With everyone staying home right now I can’t find Ziti. I found Rigatoni but they look really big. Could you recommend another pasta? Rotini maybe?
Thank you
Sure, you could get away with rotini. Penne would also work well. Hope you enjoy!
How about Tortiglioni?
Sure!
Hello!!
This has been my go-to website for recipes for the last 5 years! I have not tried one thing I didn’t like! And tonight was no exception! My whole family loves this very delicious baked ziti and they kept asking for more! Thank you so much for making our two college boys happy! God bless your family, stay happy and healthy!!
I made a double recipe to feed the amazing team at my local Emergency room to thank the doctors and nurses for their incredible work. It was such a hit! I used 1/3 spicy sausage and 2/3 sweet and it was perfect. Many thanks for a great recipe to feed a crowd!
How lovely that you did that — so nice to give a comforting meal to those who are sacrificing so much for us! Hope they enjoyed it. 💗
Hello, I will love to do the cooking class. Who do I send the money into?
Hi Jessica, I’m flattered that you’d ask, but unfortunately, I don’t offer cooking classes — sorry!
I made this Baked Ziti and it was absolutely delicious! I shared with people from my office and froze about half a pan. I also took pictures because it turned out so beautiful but the pictures didn’t do the dish justice! My next recipe to try is the pulled pork.
Can’t wait.
Would using the johnsonville original sausage work? or does have to be spicy/Italian sausage?
Hi Vee, that will work. Hope you enjoy!
Hey Jenn love your recipes! Cant seem to find spicy or sweet sausage here. any suggestions how can I make Mild sausage spicy or sweet?
Hi Staci, I’d probably just add a few pinches of crushed red pepper flakes to the garlic/crushed tomato mixture. Hope you enjoy!
Hi, I made this and the family LOVED it! Since sausage comes in 1 lb usually that’s what I used and it was plenty. I added merlot wine and sun dried tomatoes to the sauce. It was amazing. Thanks so much!
Super yummy!!! I used a combination of sweet Italian and fennel sausage since that’s what I had in my freezer. Excellent dish and very easy to prepare. The flavors develop more the next day or two which is a bonus. Froze a portion for later as well.
Another fabulous recipe!! Thanks Jen for sharing. ❤️
This recipe, exactly as written, is perfect. I did not make any substitutions and used all spicy Italian sausage. It was so easy to prepare and came together very quickly. I love so many of your recipes and have been working my way through your book, thank you for another hit. Will be making this again.
So glad you enjoy the recipes! ❤️