Baked ziti with red sauce is a pasta bake of ziti, Italian sausage, marinara and three cheeses, ready in about 1 hour 20 minutes. It feeds 8, holds together when you cut it, and reheats well for lunch the next day.
Why This Recipe Works
Pull the pasta from the water 2 minutes before the package says. It finishes cooking in the oven, soaking up sauce as it bakes. If you boil it all the way, the ziti turns soft and mushy.
The ricotta layer gets an egg stirred in. The egg sets as it bakes, so the cheese turns creamy and firm instead of running out onto the plate when you cut a square.
Foil does the work for the first 25 minutes. It traps steam so the pasta heats through and the sauce stays loose. Then you take the foil off for 15 minutes, and the cheese browns and bubbles on top.
Baked Ziti with Red Sauce Ingredients
For the pasta and sauce
- 1 pound (450 g) ziti or penne pasta
- 1 pound Italian sausage (or ground beef)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups marinara sauce (about 32 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
For the cheese layers
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese (about 2 cups)
- 1 large egg
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- Salt and black pepper
- Fresh parsley (optional)
How To Make Baked Ziti with Red Sauce
Cook the pasta and make the sauce
- Heat the oven: Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish so the pasta lifts out cleanly later.
- Boil the pasta: Cook the pasta in well-salted water for 2 minutes less than the package says. It keeps cooking in the oven, so drain it well and set it aside.
- Brown the sausage: Brown the sausage with the olive oil and onion in a large pan, breaking the meat up as it cooks. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, just until you smell it.
- Simmer the sauce: Stir in the marinara sauce and Italian seasoning. Simmer for 10 minutes so the flavors come together.
Layer the ziti
- Coat the pasta: Stir the drained pasta into the meat sauce until every piece is covered. Spread half of it in the baking dish.
- Add the ricotta: Mix the ricotta with the egg, a pinch of salt and some pepper. Spoon it over the pasta in the dish.
- Add mozzarella: Lay the fresh mozzarella slices over the ricotta and sprinkle on half of the Parmesan.
- Finish the layers: Cover with the rest of the pasta and sauce. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and the remaining Parmesan over the top.
Bake and rest
- Bake covered: Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. The foil keeps the pasta from drying out.
- Bake uncovered: Take off the foil and bake for 15 more minutes, until the top is golden and the edges bubble.
- Rest: Let the ziti sit for 10 minutes before you cut it. The layers set, so the squares keep their shape. Top with parsley if you like.
Recipe Tips
- Drain the pasta well: Extra water in the pasta thins the sauce and makes the bake watery. Shake the colander well before the pasta goes back in the pot.
- Spoon off sausage fat: If the sausage leaves a lot of grease in the pan, spoon most of it out before adding the marinara. The sauce will taste cleaner and the top won’t look oily.
- Slice mozzarella thin: Thin slices melt evenly into the layer. Pat fresh mozzarella dry with a paper towel first, so it doesn’t add extra water.
- Use a thick marinara: A thin, watery sauce soaks into the pasta and leaves the bake dry. Pick a jar that coats the back of a spoon.
What To Serve With Baked Ziti with Red Sauce
A crisp green salad with a sharp vinaigrette cuts through the cheese. Garlic bread on the side helps mop up the extra sauce on the plate.
How To Store
- Fridge: Cover the leftovers and keep them in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Wrap the cooled baked ziti well and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge, never on the counter.
- Reheat: Cover the dish with foil and reheat at 350°F (175°C) until hot all the way through. A single portion can go in the microwave.
FAQs
Can I make baked ziti ahead of time?
Yes. Build the dish up to the foil step, cover it and keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Add 5 to 10 minutes to the covered baking time, since it goes in cold.
Can I use ground beef instead of Italian sausage?
Yes. Brown the beef the same way with the olive oil and onion. Italian sausage adds its own spices, so the beef version may need a little more salt and Italian seasoning.
Can I make baked ziti without meat?
Yes. Leave out the sausage and cook the onion and garlic in the olive oil, then add the marinara. Sliced mushrooms or chopped zucchini make a good filling swap, though you may need a few extra minutes of simmering to cook off their water.
Why is my baked ziti dry?
Usually the pasta was boiled too long, the sauce was too thin or the dish went in the oven without foil. Pull the pasta 2 minutes early, use a sauce that clings, and keep the foil on for the first 25 minutes.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving (1 of 8), worked out from the ingredients.
- Calories: about 620 kcal
- Total Fat: 31g
- Total Carbohydrate: 48g
- Dietary Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 36g
Baked Ziti with Red Sauce
8
servings25
minutes50
minutes75
minutesBaked ziti with Italian sausage, marinara and layers of ricotta, fresh mozzarella and Parmesan, finished with a golden shredded mozzarella top. A hearty dinner for 8 that cuts cleanly and keeps for 4 days.
Ingredients
- For the pasta and sauce
1 pound (450 g) ziti or penne pasta
1 pound Italian sausage (or ground beef)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups marinara sauce (about 32 ounces)
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- For the cheese layers
15 ounces ricotta cheese (about 2 cups)
1 large egg
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 cups shredded mozzarella
Salt and black pepper
Fresh parsley (optional)
Directions
- Heat the oven: Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish so the pasta lifts out cleanly later.
- Boil the pasta: Cook the pasta in well-salted water for 2 minutes less than the package says. It keeps cooking in the oven, so drain it well and set it aside.
- Brown the sausage: Brown the sausage with the olive oil and onion in a large pan, breaking the meat up as it cooks. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, just until you smell it.
- Simmer the sauce: Stir in the marinara sauce and Italian seasoning. Simmer for 10 minutes so the flavors come together.
- Coat the pasta: Stir the drained pasta into the meat sauce until every piece is covered. Spread half of it in the baking dish.
- Add the ricotta: Mix the ricotta with the egg, a pinch of salt and some pepper. Spoon it over the pasta in the dish.
- Add mozzarella: Lay the fresh mozzarella slices over the ricotta and sprinkle on half of the Parmesan.
- Finish the layers: Cover with the rest of the pasta and sauce. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and the remaining Parmesan over the top.
- Bake covered: Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. The foil keeps the pasta from drying out.
- Bake uncovered: Take off the foil and bake for 15 more minutes, until the top is golden and the edges bubble.
- Rest: Let the ziti sit for 10 minutes before you cut it. The layers set, so the squares keep their shape. Top with parsley if you like.
