Baked Ziti with Sausage

Baked Ziti with Sausage is a fantastically cozy Italian meal to make when you need some excellent comfort food. This easy baked ziti recipe requires only a handful of pantry ingredients to go with three types of cheese and your favorite kind of sausage. It really makes for the most delicious weekend dinner for small and large crowds alike!

It should be of no surprise to you that I’m coming at you with another baked pasta recipe. I simply can’t help myself!

I’m a sucker for all things carby, cheesy, and crammed full of flavor, as is evidenced by my repeated making of a certain four cheese baked pesto pasta, the 15+ year favorite chicken stuffed shells, and the most classic lobster mac and cheese ever.

I give you a few reasons below why this Baked Ziti with Sausage recipe is so excellent but let me start by explaining that this is an authentic Italian baked ziti recipe.

Rather than being loaded with cheese mixed into the ziti, like us Americans are used to, there’s a layer of cheese through the center of 2 ziti layers. And then there’s more mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese bake atop the ziti, sauce, and sausage.

The ricotta – optional for those who don’t love ricotta – is dolloped on at the end before serving.

This allows for the less than al dente ziti pasta you start with to finish cooking in the marinara sauce while it bakes. It’s a brilliant way to let all of those Italian flavors shine!

And that’s fine, right? I mean, can we agree that we don’t always have to eat like Americans?

What’s So Great About This Sausage Baked Ziti Recipe?

Want to know why this is THE BEST baked ziti with Italian sausage recipe out there? Here are just a few of the reasons:

• Cozy, cheesy Italian food that everyone in the house will absolutely love
• Easily adaptable ziti recipe so you can use different types of sausage (see the FAQs section below!)
• Uses basic pantry ingredients found in most kitchens
• Make ahead baked ziti that you can prep up to 2 days in advance before baking

Ingredients You’ll Need 

Here’s the basic shopping list for this baked ziti recipe. 

Be sure to keep scrolling down to the recipe card below for the full printable Ingredients list for this great recipe!

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Sweet Italian sausage
• Jar of tomato basil sauce or marinara sauce 
• Dried oregano
• Garlic powder
• Red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Dry ziti pasta
• Mozzarella cheese 
• Parmesan cheese
• Ricotta cheese
• Fresh basil

How to Make this Baked Ziti with Sausage Recipe

Here are the easy instructions for how to make this awesome baked ziti recipe. Be sure to keep scrolling down to the recipe card below for the full set of Instructions! 

STEP 1: Preheat the oven. Ready a medium baking dish.

STEP 2: Heat the oil in a large sauté pan and then brown the sausage into small chunks. Add the seasonings and cook for a few minutes.

STEP 3: Pour the jar of sauce into the meat. Swirl a couple of tablespoons of water in the jar and dump the watery sauce into the pan; stir to combine everything well and continue cooking.

STEP 4: Meanwhile, cook pasta until not quite al dente. Reserve some of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.

STEP 5: Mix the al dente pasta into the sauce and continue simmering for another couple minutes.

STEP 6: Transfer half of the pasta mixture to the baking dish. Top with half of the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Layer the remaining pasta and cheeses on top. 

STEP 7: Bake until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly around the edges of the dish. Rest the ziti for a few minutes and then top the pasta with dollops of ricotta cheese and fresh basil sprinkled over the top. Serve with extra grated parmesan cheese.

How to Freeze Baked Ziti

If you want to freeze leftover baked ziti, here’s what you can do:

Remove the leftovers from the baking dish and wrap them first in aluminum foil and then either place the ziti in a ziptop bag or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.

If you want to freeze uncooked baked ziti to bake off at a later time, here’s what you can do: 

Prepare the ziti as instructed prior to the baking step and transfer the mixture to a disposable foil tray or glass baking dish. Wrap the tray or dish tightly in foil, label it with a Sharpie (see Pro Tip above), and freeze the whole tray/dish.

How to Reheat Baked Ziti

When you want to reheat baked ziti, I have two ways to recommend.

First, use the oven. In a 350 degree oven, warm the ziti wrapped in foil until the center is hot (around 150 degrees F).

Second, use the stovetop. Place the baked ziti in a nonstick and reheat, covered, over medium-low heat with a couple teaspoons of water in the bottom of the pan. When the ziti is hot and cheesy, it’s ready to eat.

While being the fastest option, using the microwave is my least favorite way to reheat food.

What to Serve with Baked Ziti

If you’re wondering what goes with baked ziti, I have a bunch of great ideas for you! 

Are salads your thing? A simple green salad with house Italian dressing would be perfect with this sausage baked ziti.

Want to get a little carb-ier? Go for Italian bread with plenty of salted butter, these homemade garlic knots, or some cheesy pull apart garlic bread!

FAQs on this Recipe

1. Can I use other types of sausage? Definitely! I make this baked ziti with sweet Italian sausage but you could use hot Italian sausage, raw chicken sausage, or vegan sausage.
2. How long does baked ziti last in the fridge? Leftover baked ziti will last for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
3. Can the recipe be doubled? Sure! Simply double all of the ingredients and bake in a 13×9-inch baking dish.
4. How long to reheat baked ziti? Reheat baked ziti in the oven for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees F or on the stovetop over medium-low for about 7 to 10 minutes.
5. Can I use different herbs and spices? Yes! You can use a heavy 1 ½ teaspoons of Italian herb seasoning in place of the dried herbs in this recipe.

Our Forever Favorite Baked Pasta Recipes

Pasta is a staple food in my house and as you imagine, we’ve made dozens of different recipes over the years. These 5 are a few of our all-time favorites:

• Four Cheese Baked Pasta
• Sun-Dried Tomato Boursin Baked Orzo
• One Pot Cheesy Baked Penne
• Baked Chicken Parmesan Pasta
• Spinach Lasagna