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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Excited to try this tonight! I did not see when to add the basil. I assume it is just on top as a garnish, but wanted to double-check.
Hi MaryDee, Not sure if you’ve already made this, but if not, the 1/3 cup basil gets added to the sauce, and additional basil is sprinkled on top after baking. Hope that clarifies, and that you enjoy the dish!
Delicious dish! It made the best sauce with the cream and fresh basil. The grocery was out of bulk sweet sausage so I removed it from the casing. For some reason it just wouldn’t break up into smaller pieces which I think would have been better. I’ll try again when I can get the bulk. If using ground beef instead, what would you recommend other than salt and pepper to season it? Thanks for another hit recipe!
Glad you enjoyed it! If you’re using ground beef, I’d season it with a bit of oregano, Italian seasoning, whole or ground fennel seeds, paprika, and red pepper flakes.
Thank you so much, Jen. I’m going to try chicken sausage too. I followed your advice on whole milk mozzarella and fresh basil. It makes a huge difference! This dish definitely deserves to be on the cover!
Hi Jenn, I am traveling for a month and would like to do some meal prepping for my husband, is it possible to freeze a portion after it’s completely cooked?
Sure, Maureen, you can get away with freezing it after baking. Enjoy your travels!
Made this recipe twice. The first time was to make it to sample before Christmas brunch for 15. This was sooooo good! Made it for Christmas brunch and everyone loved it. Thank you for a wonderful recipe. I have found all your recipes delicious.
This is my “go to” dish for a group. I have made this many times and received many compliments. I especially like that you can prepare ahead.
This is absolutely the most delicious Baked Ziti recipe ever. Every time I make it, people ask for the recipe. I make it for people who are housebound, recovering from surgery, new mothers, etc. – they all love it.
Do you have a recipe for pasta Primavera? Before 2020 we ate at a restaurant in Gatlinburg, TN that was run by true Italians and we have never eaten such wonderful Italian food anywhere else. Unfortunately it’s no longer open. I would live a true recipe for this dish.
Hi Priscilla, I have a pasta primavera recipe (that’s really best during the summer) that you can take a peek at.
What would be a substitutes for mozzarella cheese? I find it tasteless
Marjory🇨🇦
Hi Marjory, I’d go with either provolone or fontina. Hope you enjoy!
I love this recipe and make it frequently for guests. I have a friend who is having surgery and will need some freezer-friendly meals as she recovers. Your baked ziti definitely fits the bill, but she doesn’t eat sausage. Could I sub ground beef?
Thanks for all your wonderful recipes! I will be relying on your Italian meatloaf, lasagne, and roast chicken!
Hi Alex, So glad you like it enough to share with a friend! You can use ground beef here; I’d just make sure it’s well seasoned as the sausage has a lot of seasoning. Hope she enjoys!
I just wanted to report back that the ground beef substitution turned out really well! I seasoned it with Penzy’s Italian herb mix (oregano, thyme, rosemary, basil, and marjoram), granulated onion powder, and a good amount of salt. I also added extra garlic—six cloves total. I still prefer your original with the sausage, but I’ll keep this in my back pocket in case I run into other people who have a sausage aversion. Hopefully this will also help some of your other readers who may be looking for a good sausage substitute.
Happy that it came out well – thanks for reporting back! 😊
You could also try chicken Italian sausage.
I have made this sooo many times now…it’s become a staple in our home. I do a couple of things differently though. I use about 3/4 or 7/8 of the amount of pasta, it makes for a “saucier” dish that we prefer. Also, I divide the contents into two separate small/medium baking dishes and top each one with the cheeses. I put one in the freezer for a rainy day and cook the other. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!