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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I just made this recipe for my partner’s parents (92 and 85) for the 4th time. They request it frequently, and have made modifications for the elder palatte (though its great as is). I’ve found that depending on the brand of Italian sausage, it can be quite salty. So I recommend tasting before adding additional salt to adjust if needed. If I can’t find mild sausage, I often add some lean ground beef for part of the sausage – or increase the meat to 1 lb each sausage and grd beef. I would also scale up the sauce ingredients by 50%. I usually bake, portion out, then freeze in meal size portions for the in-laws. Having extra sauce really helps. Do follow Jen’s suggestion to undercook to almost al dente the pasta. It is a wonderful recipe — I’ve been asked many times for it. It’s great that the sauce is so easy to make, and don’t skip the fresh basil – it shines.
This ziti recipe is amazing. Ziti has always been a favorite go-to for me when I’m feeding a crowd, but I got bored of it and was looking for something new. When I stumbled across this recipe, I figured it was worth a try. And oh my goodness is this delicious!!! Absolutely nothing like the boring pasta recipe on the back of a box. I’ve made it half a dozen times now (my kids keep asking for it), and every time we are wowed by the tastiness of it. Thank you for breathing new life into an old favorite!!
This is by far a family favorite! I’ve made it for friends on numerous occasions and everyone always asks for more AND the recipe!Thank you Jenn for another great recipe!
I’ve been hooked on Jenn’s recipes ever since I found her site a couple of years ago. Every dish is delicious and family approved!
I made the baked ziti two nights ago and yet again the family was impressed! I love how simple and delicious she makes her dishes – she doesn’t over complicate the recipes and they’re very straight forward. She is affectionately known by my foodie husband as “your girl” here at home as in, “Mmm this is great! Another recipe by your girl?” Thanks Jenn! You’ve made my cooking life a lot easier!
I made this a couple weeks ago and it was DELICIOUS!!! I can’t wait to make it again! One full recipe makes plenty – I ended up with two trays – 1 large, 1 small – and froze the smaller tray for later in the week. True to the recipe instructions, it froze beautifully and baked well. There were no leftovers!
This is so good and also very easy to make. Everyone in the family liked it. I used the Spicy Italian sausage and it was delicious. Another winner from Jenn. Thank you!
I made the recipe exactly as directed including the shredding of the whole milk mozzarella. It was delicious and has been added to my recipe file to enjoy again. My husband had two helpings as it was that good.
Hi,
I do not have heavy cream. is there something I can use instead?
Thanks,
Renee
Hi Renee, I prefer heavy cream here, but you can replace it with half & half. Enjoy!
My family is a bunch of seriously picky eaters and they all gave this recipe a 10, and even asked for it to be added to the weekly rotation! It turned out so delicious. Can’t wait to make it again.
Such a tasty recipe. My husband and I loved it, but it ended up being kind of dry and couldn’t figure it out why at first. I know it wasn’t Jenn’s fault though. Her recipes are flawless. I’ve tried quite a few of them and, thanks to Jenn, I feel like I am such an accomplished cook 😉
My store didn’t have ziti pasta, so I grabbed rigatoni instead. They look similar – tubular, with ridges – but it is definitely a larger noodle.
So I ended up with a lot of pasta and not enough sauce.
I have some sausage left, thankfully.
Jenn, can I make more sauce (and sausage) and add to the dish? How would I do it without ruining it, and especially not overcooking and turning the pasta into mush?
Love you to pieces x0x
Hi Gabriela, so glad you like the recipes! Sorry to hear you found the dish to be a bit dry. BTW, as long as you used the same amount of pasta, the shape really shouldn’t matter, but if you’d like to add more sauce, I would recommend just serving the dish and spooning the additional sauce on top of each serving. Hope that helps!