Baked Ziti with Sausage

Rich, comforting, and irresistibly cheesy, homemade baked ziti is the ultimate crowd-pleasing pasta bake. Layers of tender pasta are folded into a hearty, slow-simmered meat sauce, then nestled between creamy ricotta and melty mozzarella. Finished with a bubbling, golden top of perfectly broiled cheese, this dish brings all the best elements of lasagna—without the fuss. It’s a cozy classic, made for family dinners, potlucks, or any time you’re craving something soul-satisfying and delicious.

Ingredients:

• Ziti or Pene noodles | 1 pound
• Spicy Italian Sausage | 1 1/2 pounds
• Garlic | 4 - 6 cloves | minced
• Crushed Tomatoes | 1 (280z) can
• Salt | 1 - 2 teaspoons
• Sugar | 1 1/2 teaspoons
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes | 1 - 2 teaspoons
  • Increase to desired level of spice
• Heavy Cream | 1 cup
• Fresh Romano or Parmesan | 1/3 cup + 3 tablespoons | grated
• Fresh Basil | 1/2 cup | chopped
  • Reserve some for garnish
• 8 - 10 oz whole milk mozzarella cheese | 8 - 10 ounces | shredded
  • about 2 - 3 cups, more if you like super cheesy

Assemble the Ziti:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the directions package but subtract 2 or so minutes as it will cook more in the oven. Drain the pasta and set it aside for later.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°F and set the oven rack in the middle position.
3. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Crumble the sausage into the pan and cook, breaking apart, until lightly browned and just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Ttransfer the cooked sausage to a plate. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan and set over low heat (if you don't have enough fat in the pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil). Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until soft but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, sugar and red pepper flakes and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
4. Add the cream, ⅓ cup of the Romano or Parmesan, cooked sausage, and basil to the pan; stir until evenly combined. Carefully pour the contents of the pan into the large pot with the pasta and gently stir to combine. Spoon half of the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella and half the remaining Romano or Parmesan. Spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and pecorino Romano. Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the cheese has melted and browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with more basil and serve.