Easy Baked Ziti
This Easy Baked Ziti has been a long time favorite in my home. I have been making this pasta dish ever since I was first married 15 years ago. It is easy to make but is so delicious and comforting. Tender pasta, creamy ricotta, Italian sausage and marinara sauce make this recipe irresistible.
Why You Will Love This Recipe:
This recipe is a foolproof recipe that everyone will love. Even my pickiest eaters enjoy this one. It is easy, delicious and is perfect for any night of the week. I love to serve this easy baked ziti when we have guests over for dinner, serve it with a salad and some garlic bread for a complete meal.
What You Need:
- Ziti Pasta – you can also use gluten free penne to make this a GF recipe
- Marinara Sauce – Raos is our favorite
- Italian Sausage Links – you can also use ground
- Yellow Onion
- Garlic
- Ricotta Cheese
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Salt and Pepper Flakes
- Fresh Basil
Recipe Notes:
- I love to use sausage links cut up for this recipe, it gives a different texture, but you can also use ground Italian sausage as well
- If you want to lower the fat content, you can use turkey or chicken sausage
- Use gluten free pasta to make this a GF dish – our favorite GF pasta is from Jovial Foods
- Serve this with my Lemony Kale and Arugula Salad for a well rounded meal
- Store this in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days
You Might Also Like:
- Tomato and Zucchini Pasta with Shrimp
- Healthy Baked Italian Meatballs in Sauce
- Healthy Crispy Chicken Cutlets
- Creamy Lemon Basil Chicken
- Pan Seared Salmon in Lemon Cream Sauce
- Whole30 Creole Shrimp and Cauliflower Grits
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Easy Baked Ziti
This Easy Baked Ziti is easy to make but is so delicious and comforting. Tender pasta, creamy ricotta, Italian sausage and marinara sauce make this recipe irresistible.
Ingredients
- 16 oz Ziti Pasta
- 1 Tbls Olive Oil
- 1 lb Italian Sausage Links or ground
- 1 Yellow Onion diced
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Pepper Flakes
- 1 Tbls Italian Seasoning
- 16 oz Ricotta Cheese
- 32 oz Marinara Sauce
- 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese shredded
- 2 Tbls Fresh Basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350'F and grease a 9×13 baking dish
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions and set aside
- Slice the Italian sausage links into rounds and heat a large skillet over medium/low heat with olive oil Brown the sausage until mostly cooked through and add in the onions, garlic, salt and pepper flakes – sauté another 3 minutes and remove from heat
- Toss the pasta, marinara sauce and sausage mixture together Pour half of the pasta into the baking dish and dot with 8 oz of the ricotta cheese and 1 cup of the mozzarella
- Add the remaining pasta and dot with the remaining ricotta cheese and cover with remaining cup of mozzarella Bake for 20 minutes and then broil for an additional 3-5 minutes to lightly brown the cheese on top (be careful not to burn)
- Add fresh basil on top and enjoy!
Notes
Notes
- I love to use sausage links cut up for this recipe, it gives a different texture, but you can also use ground Italian sausage as well
- If you want to lower the fat content, you can use turkey or chicken sausage
- Use gluten free pasta to make this a GF dish – our favorite GF pasta is from Jovial Foods
- Serve this with my Lemony Kale and Arugula Salad for a well rounded meal
- Store this in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days
Nutrition
Calories: 428kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 20gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 885mgPotassium: 483mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 677IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 209mgIron: 2mg
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