Baked Ziti Recipe

Easy baked ziti on a white plate sprinkled with parsley on white background with large dish of ziti and shredded cheese in background

5 from 10 votes

Loaded with savory sausage, Italian herbs, red-wine tomato sauce, tender pasta, and rich, melty cheese, this Baked Ziti recipe is a cozy dinner the whole family will love!

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 419kcal

Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Equipment

Ingredients

1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb ground beef or ground turkey
1/2 lb Italian sausage
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1/4 cup finely chopped green peppers
salt to taste I used seasoned salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
28 oz crushed tomatoes
10 oz tomato sauce
2 tbsp chicken stock
1 tbsp red wine
1 1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning can make it homemade
1 tbsp granulated sugar
pinch of red pepper flakes if desired
8 oz zit pasta cooked al dente and drained
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese up to 2 cups
parsley for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Add olive oil to a medium large sized pot over medium high heat on the stove.
Add ground beef, Italian sausage, onion, green pepper and salt and pepper. Brown until cooked.
Next add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Then add in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken stock, red wine, Italian seasoning, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Continue to simmer until the sauce has thickened about 15-20 minutes then remove from heat.
Stir in cooked ziti pasta then add pasta and sauce to a greased baking dish, top with cheese then cover with foil and add to the oven and allow the cheese to become melty and bake for about 15-20 minutes.
Once the cheese has fully melted, remove the foil and let the top brown for about 5 minutes. You can also speed this up by adding under a broiler and browning but KEEP A WATCH ON IT. Cool for 10-15 minutes then sprinkle with parsley and serve it up.

Notes

To save time, you can also use a jar of favorite tomato sauce.

How to store & reheat

Let your ziti cool down to room temp, then either transfer to an airtight container or cover tightly with plastic wrap.

You can reheat in the oven by covering with foil and baking at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until warmed through. The microwave is also fine too boos. Cover and cook for 1 ½ minutes then check to see if it is warm. If it ain't warm yet, continue to heat in 15-second increments but don't overdo it or the pasta will dry out.

How long will this baked ziti recipe last in the fridge?

It will last about 3-5 days in the fridge.

Can I freeze?

Yep boos, it can stay frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat, cover with aluminum foil and pop in a 350 degrees F oven for 1 hour.

Nutrition