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 must report that I made this for Thanksgiving along with dry brined turkey, make ahead mashed potatoes, cornbread stuffing with sausage, green beans, roasted brussels sprouts,
gravy, homemade rolls & garlic bread, etc……….everything turned out great!
The hit of the evening was the baked ziti!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Guests commented this was better than what they ordered in restaurants!!!
I will keep on making this!!!!!!!!!
Absolutely delicious! Followed the recipe exactly, and the family loved it!
Very tasty but a tad dry. I cooked the ziti 10 minutes (not 7) since the box indicated 14 minutes for al dente. Should I have gone with 7 mins or would it have been undercooked? Any other thoughts/suggestions? Thank you!
Hi Monica, sorry that this has come out dry for you! It would not have been dry as a result of over cooking the ziti, although if you thought the pasta was mushy when you ate it, you could cut the boiling time back by a minute or two. Next time you make this, you have a few options — you could make more sauce and spoon it over individual servings, reduce the baking time to 10 minutes and then pop it under the broiler for a minute or two just to brown the top, or use slightly less pasta. Hope that helps!
Thanks for the explanation and suggestions Jenn. I loved the flavors so I’m going to try again. 🤞
Really wanted to make your lasagna for company but the timing just wouldn’t work out. Made this for the extra day it could wait in the fridge. Ciabatta and a salad made a great meal. Crowd pleasing is an accurate description!
Thanks again for your guidance.
This is outstanding! I’ve made it three times over the last month for gatherings. Once the ingredients are gathered it comes together quickly. I make the day ahead and it bakes up well.
Hi there! If you make it the day before how long do you bake it the day you serve it? And what temp? Thank you!!
Hi Heidi, you’d follow the same baking instructions laid out in the recipe. You might just need to add a few minutes onto the baking time. I hope you enjoy!
Hi, Jenn! Is there a way you’d recommend to adapt this recipe for vegetarian guests? Thanks!
Hi John, I haven’t tried it, but some readers have mentioned they’ve made this vegetarian by using sauteed veggies (the ones you’re suggesting sound great) in place of the sausage. Just make sure they’re well-seasoned b/c the sausage has a lot of seasoning. Hope everyone enjoys!
Thanks so much for your quick reply, Jenn! We continue to be big fans of you and your recipes. In fact, we’re giving your cookbook to each out kids’ teachers this Christmas!
Thanks so much for your support of the cookbook — I hope the teachers enjoy it! 😊
This recipe is amazing! I made a double batch for our large family and friends who just moved. This was a hit at both our house and with our friends! I used Johnsonville mild Italian sausage and subbed dried basil. The fresh basil would have made this dish even better! Highly recommend!
I love this recipe! I have made it so many times. I made it tonight and instead of heavy cream whirred together some cottage cheese and milk and it turned out just as delicious . I volunteer once a month to deliver food to families in need and made this recipe x 4 over the weekend. It is easy and fast and yummy.
This recipe is amazing! And, the leftovers are super delicious warmed up for lunch!
Hi Jenn.
I have both your cookbooks. Honestly, any night of the week, we can find a great meal just with these two books! I have made the baked ziti about a dozen times to rave reviews from the family. I’m making it tomorrow and am curious about throwing in an anchovy or two while cooking the sauce. Have you tried this? I just want to add another layer of flavor.
Thanks!
Thanks for your nice words about the recipes – so glad you like them! I’ve never added anchovies to this sauce but it sounds delicious. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Hi Jenn. I added two anchovies (I didn’t taste a difference with just one. It added a subtle extra layer to an already fantastic meal. I’m going to do it again!
Thanks for all your recipes over the years… You are our go to chef!
Good to know! Thanks for reporting back and for the nice words about the recipes. 😊