PantrySavvy
Baked Ziti

italian

Baked Ziti

Italian-American comfort food featuring ziti pasta baked with a rich tomato-sausage sauce, three kinds of mozzarella, Parmesan, fresh basil, and a touch of cream for indulgent flavor.

Prep

35 min

Cook

25 min

Total

60 min

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Ingredients

Serves8
  • 1 lbziti pasta
  • 1 lbItalian sausageground
  • 1 cupYellow oniondiced
  • 4 wholeGarlic clovesroughly chopped
  • 24 ozmarinara saucejarred or homemade
  • 15 ozTomato Saucecanned
  • 1 tspSea salt
  • 1 tbspItalian Seasoning
  • 1/2 cupHeavy Cream
  • 2 cupMozzarella Cheeseshredded
  • 8 ozMozzarella Cheesefresh, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cupParmesan Cheesegrated
  • 1/4 tspred chili flakesfor serving
  • 2 tbspFresh Basilminced
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Cooking Instructions

  1. 1

    Preheat Oven

    Preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center position.
  2. 2

    Cook Pasta

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Salt the water generously. Cook the ziti pasta until just barely al dente according to package instructions. Drain the pasta.
  3. 3

    Brown Sausage and Sauté Aromatics

    Set a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add ground Italian sausage, diced yellow onion, and roughly chopped garlic. Cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the sausage is browned and the onions are softened, about 8 minutes. Drain any excess fat and discard.
  4. 4

    Add Sauces and Seasonings

    Add marinara sauce, tomato sauce, sea salt, Italian seasoning, and heavy cream to the pot. Stir well until combined.
  5. 5

    Combine Pasta and Cheese

    Stir in the cooked ziti pasta and 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese into the sauce mixture.
  6. 6

    Assemble in Baking Dish

    Transfer the pasta mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with fresh mozzarella slices and the remaining ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese.
  7. 7

    Cover and Bake

    Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes at 375°F, until the pasta is tender.
  8. 8

    Uncover and Finish Baking

    Remove the foil, sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese over the top, and return the dish to the oven uncovered. Bake for an additional 5 minutes until the cheese melts and the sauce is bubbly.
  9. 9

    Garnish and Serve

    Serve the baked ziti sprinkled with red chili flakes and minced fresh basil.

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