Description
This Cheesy Baked Ziti is simple to prepare and bursting with flavor. Featuring ziti pasta, rich marinara sauce, and layers of melty cheese, it’s a perfect comfort food for easy weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ziti pasta
- 1 pound italian sausage, ground
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce, or homemade
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes, for serving
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center position.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti al dente according to package instructions and drain.
- In a large Dutch oven, cook the sausage, onion, and garlic over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes, breaking up the meat until browned and the onions are soft. Drain excess fat.
- Add marinara sauce, tomato sauce, salt, Italian seasoning, and heavy cream to the pot, stirring until combined. Fold in the cooked ziti and 1½ cups of shredded mozzarella.
- Transfer the pasta mixture to a 9×13 baking dish.
- Top with fresh mozzarella slices and remaining mozzarella. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes, until pasta is tender. Remove the foil, sprinkle with Parmesan, and bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve hot, sprinkled with chili flakes and fresh basil.
Notes
For a spicier kick, adjust the amount of red chili flakes to taste.
Feel free to substitute ground turkey or beef for the sausage if preferred.
Add extra vegetables such as spinach or mushrooms for added nutrition.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 1020mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 41g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 90mg