Who doesn't love a great meal of melty cheese, layers of pasta, and sausage? This easy-baked ziti dish is comfort food for the whole family and always receives rave reviews! It can be made ahead or even makes a great freezer meal!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This tasty meal not only freezes well it also freeze dries well!
- Make this dish up to 24 hours in advance before baking!
- Easy recipe to double or cut in half, depending on your needs!
Ingredient Notes
- Ziti Pasta- This is a tube-shaped pasta, a bit slimmer and longer than penne. Penne pasta can be substituted.
- Sour Cream - I love to use the squeeze-out sour cream for this recipe.
- Sausage - Italian or regular sausage works for this recipe. Ground beef can be substituted for the sausage.
- Provolone - I used the non-smoked provolone slices.
- Mozzarella - You can also use the pre-shredded Italian blend of cheese.
- Pasta Sauce - I use the four-cheese flavor of Hunt's spaghetti sauce.
How To Make
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook the ziti according to package directions until nearly al dente'.
- Drain and set cooked pasta aside.
- Mince the onion.
- Heat a frying pan or large skillet over medium heat and brown the sausage with the minced onion and garlic.
- Drain the excess grease from the cooked sausage and discard it.
- Stir the Italian seasoning into the sausage.
- Spray a deep 3.5-quart casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Dump ½ of the cooked ziti in the bottom of the dish.
- Pour one can of sauce over the ziti.
- Sprinkle on ½ of the sausage.
- Layer the provolone cheese in an even layer over the sausage.
- Spread the sour cream over the top of the provolone the best you can.
- Add the rest of the pasta.
- Pour a second can of pasta sauce over the ziti.
- Sprinkle the rest of the sausage, then sprinkle with mozzarella cheese or Italian Cheese.
- Cover the ziti dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- The cheese should be melted and golden brown.
- Cool slightly before serving, and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
- Serve with a fresh green salad and garlic bread!
- Store leftover baked ziti covered with plastic wrap or with the lid of the casserole dish.
FAQs and Expert Tips
Should I cover my baked ziti with aluminum foil?
It does work best to bake for the first 20 minutes with tin foil covering this dish because sometimes the top browns too quickly. The foil allows the casserole to heat all the way through without over-browning.
More Easy Weeknight Dinners
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Baked Ziti with Sausage Recipe
Who doesn't love a great meal of melty cheese, layers of pasta, and sausage? This easy-baked ziti dish is comfort food for the whole family! It can be made ahead or even makes a great freezer meal!
Ingredients
- 16 oz Ziti Pasta
- 1 lb. Italian Sausage
- 1 Cup Onion minced
- 2-3 Cloves Garlic minced
- 1 Tbs Italian Seasoning
- 52 oz Pasta Sauce 2 Cans of 26 oz
- 6-8 Provolone Cheese Slices
- 1 ½ Cups Sour Cream
- 2-3 Cups Italian Blend or Mozzarella Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook the ziti according to package directions until nearly al dente'.
- Drain and set cooked pasta aside.
- Mince the onion.
- Heat a frying pan or large skillet over medium heat and brown the sausage with the minced onion and garlic.
- Drain the excess grease from the cooked sausage and discard it.
- Stir the Italian seasoning into the sausage.
- Spray a deep 3.5-quart casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Dump ½ of the cooked ziti in the bottom of the dish.
- Pour one can of sauce over the ziti.
- Sprinkle on ½ of the sausage.
- Layer the provolone cheese in an even layer over the sausage.
- Spread the sour cream over the top of the provolone the best you can.
- Add the rest of the pasta.
- Pour a second can of pasta sauce over the ziti.
- Sprinkle the rest of the sausage then sprinkle with mozzarella cheese or Italian Cheese.
- Cover the ziti dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Then, remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- The cheese should be melted and golden brown.
- Cool slightly before serving, and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
- Store leftover baked ziti covered with plastic wrap or with the lid of the casserole dish.
Notes
- This casserole may be assembled and then frozen OR frozen after baking. If you are freezing after baking, make sure the baked ziti is completely cooled and chilled all the way through before freezing.
- Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutrition
Calories: 383kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 20gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 1131mgPotassium: 614mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 983IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 239mgIron: 6mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Adapted from Allrecipes Baked Ziti
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