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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Another winner from this website.
The sauce was SO good Jenn – and an utterly stunning presentation. Fresh basil added so much flavor too!
For what it’s worth, once I got home from the grocery store I realized I mis-read the ingredient list and only had bought the 1 pound package of sausage, not 1.5 as your recipe advises. I decided to go for it anyway – and it was still awesome!! I know it would be even better with more sausage in the ratio – but sharing that in case someone else makes the mistake. We didn’t feel meat-deprived with only 1 pound…
Appreciate so much what detailed descriptions you provide, and how my finished product also looks like yours!!
Thanks again for another awesome recipe!!!
One more question for you. I arrived home w/o the mozzarella, but notice I do have fresh mozzarella ‘pearls’ in the fridge. Should I dice them up and use or double up one the Parmesan, or go back to the store?
Candy
Hi Candy, I may be weighing in too late (sorry!) to help but if not, I think you could use the mozzarella pearls (and don’t need to dice them). It’s not likely to be as gooey but will still be good. I would not double up on the Parmesan though. Hope that helps!
Hi Jen,
Going to make this today and just noticed there are no onions in the sauce. I know you have a good reason for everything, so please advise why not. I typically include them, but that’s just habit.
Candy
Hi Candy, I thought this had plenty of flavor without onions, but feel free to add some sauteed onion to it if you’d like. Hope you enjoy!
No onions, it is, then. Thanks for the speedy reply.
I have a lot of ground beef I need to use up. If I use 1.5 lbs ground beef, do you have any suggestions on how to season it? I thought I would add another Tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and 1.5 tsp dry Italian seasoning as well as add a diced onion to the garlic sauté. Do you think this would work out or do you have another suggestion? I know you haven’t tested it, but you are a much more experienced chef than I am! Thank you!
Hi Steve, I think that would work. I might also add some whole or ground fennel seeds, paprika, and red pepper flakes. Please LMK how it turns out!
Thank you for the reply! I made it last night and took your advise adding paprika, fennel seed and a pinch of pepper flakes to the meat as well as the salt, pepper and Italian seasoning I mentioned above. I also added a diced onion to the garlic sauté. It was excellent! One of the best baked zitis I have ever had. I love the cream instead of ricotta and the flavors were great. I split it into two smaller baking dishes since we are only 2, and put one in the freezer. As always, your amounts, timing and ingredients are spot on. I look forward to trying it with Italian sausage, but the ground beef was delicious with the seasonings I used. Thanks again for the help!
So glad it turned out nicely — thanks for the follow-up!
We don’t eat pork so will be trying this variation tomorrow. Thank you!
I don’t cook. At all. But I made this for my kids and we all loved it. And believe me … if I can do this, anyone can.
This is an excellent recipe that I’ve made a lot of times. It is easy to make, has great flavor and is enjoyed by kids and adults. I use 2 pounds of sausage.
Thanks Jenn for the recipe!
I love this recipe – I make this casserole at least once a month. It’s so easy and so tasty. We never have leftovers!
I made this for the first time tonight (not sure why it took so long – I’ve been following your blog for years) and my husband devoured it! We used only 1 lb of sausage meat and felt that it was plenty for each bite. The cream helped the dish stay smooth and decadent. We will definitely be making this over and over!
If I half the recipe does that change the temp or cooking time?
No, both should be about the same. Enjoy!
Great recipe and so quick! Thank you