Description
Cheesy Baked Ziti offers a delightful blend of ziti pasta, rich marinara sauce, and gooey mozzarella. Perfect for a quick, satisfying dinner, this comforting dish is a family favorite that brings everyone to the table.
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 water to a boil, adding salt. Cook the ziti al dente according to package instructions and drain.
- In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the sausage with onion and garlic, breaking up the meat until browned and onions are softened, about 8 minutes. Drain excess fat.
- Mix marinara sauce, tomato sauce, salt, Italian seasoning, and heavy cream into the sausage mixture. Add the cooked ziti and 1½ cups shredded mozzarella, stirring to combine.
- Transfer the mixture to a 9×13 baking dish.
- Layer fresh mozzarella slices on top and add the remaining ½ cup shredded mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil, sprinkle with parmesan, and bake uncovered for 5 more minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.
- Serve hot, garnished with chili flakes and fresh basil.
Notes
Feel free to add vegetables like spinach or mushrooms for added flavor and nutrition.
Use whole wheat ziti for a healthier twist on this classic dish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 70mg