Baked Ziti With Sausage is a mainstay of Sunday dinners for many households for obvious reasons — it’s layer upon layer of tender pasta, rich and savory tomato sauce simmered to just the right amount of sweetness, sharp and melty cheese, and of course sausage. Baked Ziti With Sausage is a hero of a home-cooked meal that brings everyone to the table the moment it comes out of the oven. Don’t be surprised if your loved ones argue over the leftovers… if there are any left!
Ingredients
- 1 (16-ounce) box ziti
- 1 1/2 pounds ground spicy or sweet Italian sausage
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated, divided
- 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped, plus more, to taste, for serving
- 2 cups whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions
Step 1 –Cook the ziti according to the package directions, until almost al dente. Undercooking slightly is key since the ziti will cook more later during the baking stage.
Step 2 –Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Set it aside.
Step 3 –Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, setting the oven rack in the middle position.
Step 4 –Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.
Step 5 –Crumble the sausage in the pan and cook, while crumbling, until lightly browned, and just cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.
Step 6 –Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a plate. Set it aside.
Step 7 –Reserve 1 tablespoon of the drippings from the sauté pan and drain the rest.
Step 8 –Place the pan with the drippings over low heat.
Step 9 –Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 10 –Add the crushed tomatoes and their juices, the salt, the sugar, and the red pepper flakes.
Step 11 –Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Step 12 –Add the heavy cream, 1/3 cup of the Pecorino Romano, the cooked sausage, and the 1/3 cup of the basil to the pan stirring until evenly combined.
Step 13 –Pour the contents of the pan into the pot with the ziti and stir until combined.
Step 14 –Spoon half of the pasta mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 15 –Sprinkle half of the mozzarella and half of the remaining Pecorino Romano on top of the pasta in the baking dish.
Step 16 –Spread the remaining pasta mixture over top.
Step 17 –Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and the remaining Pecorino Romano cheeses over the top pasta layer.
Step 18 –Bake the ziti uncovered until the cheese is melted and browned, about 15-20 minutes.
Step 19 –Sprinkle with the extra basil and serve!
