13/10/2026
Creamy Sausage Baked Ziti 🍝🧀🍅
Creamy, cheesy, and hearty.
Ingredients :
For the pasta:
• 1 (16-ounce) box ziti, cooked al dente
• ½ cup reserved pasta water
For the sausage sauce:
• 1 lb ground Italian sausage
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large carrot, finely diced
• 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 2 (14-ounce) jars tomato basil sauce
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
For the creamy layer:
• 1 cup ricotta cheese or softened cream cheese
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• 4–8 tablespoons reserved pasta water
For the cheese:
• 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions :
1.Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2.Cook the ziti until just al dente, then drain and reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water.
3.Brown the Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks.
4.Add the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery, then cook for about 8 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
5.Stir in the tomato paste and Italian seasoning.
6.Pour in the tomato basil sauce, season with salt and black pepper, then simmer for 5–10 minutes.
7.In a bowl, mix the ricotta or cream cheese with salt, pepper, and enough reserved pasta water to create a thick, creamy consistency.
8.Spread part of the sausage sauce across the bottom of a baking dish.
9.Add half of the cooked ziti, followed by half of the creamy cheese mixture and some mozzarella.
10.Add another layer of sausage sauce, then repeat with the remaining pasta and creamy mixture.
11.Finish with the remaining sausage sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan.
12.Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
13.Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: ~680 kcal per serving