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 don’t usually write reviews but I had to because this was amazing.
I made mine 1 lb Italian sausage and .5 lb ground beef. And I was lucky enough to get my hands on some fresh Basil.
I will definitely be making this again!
This tastes incredible! I made this yesterday and divided the mixture in 2 smaller trays. We baked the first tray right away to have for dinner, and I covered the second tray with foil and placed in the fridge (not baked). I’m taking the unbaked tray to my son today. Would he follow the baking instructions for the frozen (but defrosted) tray, or should he take the foil off before placing it in the oven? I’m probably overthinking this!!
Hi Elaine, So glad you enjoyed it! Yes, he would follow the instructions for the frozen and defrosted tray. 🙂
Oh my!!! I can’t tell you enough how delicious this recipe is!! I made it exactly as written and my hubby, my son and I just couldn’t stop eating it!!! It makes quite a bit and well, I’m not sure I should admit how much we ate in one sitting!!! Definitely going to be a staple in this house!!! Thanks so much Jenn!!
Hi Jenn,
I’m about to make this recipe this weekend for a family gathering. I’m so excited to serve this after reading all the rave reviews! My typical ziti recipe is the standard recipe with ricotta cheese and a marinara/spaghetti sauce to add not only to the recipe but to pour over the top after-similar to lasagna. If I wanted to have a sauce to “pour over” what ingredients of this recipe could I use? Are there specific ingredients I could double? Or is that completely unnecessary? Sorry, I’m not the best cook overall so I don’t want to mess it up!
Thanks so much!
Lynn
Hi Lynn, I really don’t think it’s necessary to add another layer of sauce but if you want to, you could make more of the sauce from the recipe (but don’t need to include more sausage). Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn!
Just a follow-up… The recipe was amazing! I did make it at 1.5 times what your recipe called for as I had a larger group and did make an extra batch of the sauce for pouring over and it was wonderful. Everyone wanted second helpings & there was nothing left! Thanks so much for the tips!!
So glad it came out well — thanks for the follow-up! 🙂
This is the most delicious baked ziti I’ve ever made! My husband always asks for extra sauce but not this time! I did add a little more cheese. Because of the basil shortage I had to leave that out but we didn’t miss it. This is absolutely my go to from now on!
My family has never complained about my baked ziti, but my husband always adds more sauce and Frank’s hot sauce. We all trust Jenn’s recipes so I tried hers tonight. Hands down it is the favorite! No extra sauce needed of any kind. I did add about 3 more oz of mozzarella because we’re cheese heads. I’m dieting but decided to have a little second helping and eat lettuce tomorrow 😂😂 This recipe is a real winner!
So delicious! It fed a dinner party with 6 people – everyone loved it. Will definitely be a staple in our home going forward!
Another excellent recipe, my family loved it! I used dried basil since I did not have any fresh on hand and it was still delicious. A “make again” for us.
No one can get fresh basil! I do think it would add a real brightness to the dish!
This dish is soooooooooooo good! Great for special occasions. For those less than special times, might it be lightened up by substituting evaporated milk for the heavy cream?
Glad you like it! I’ve never tried it, but I think you could get away with evaporated milk. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Did you try evaporated milk,I was wondering about whole milk
This is a great recipe. I had to make one change though: I didn’t have basil, but had pesto cubes in the freezer, so they provided the basil flavor. Thank you for posting this recipe.