Easy and Indulgent Baked Ziti for Family Dinners
A creamy and cheesy baked ziti dish with savory Italian flavors, ideal for family gatherings.
Equipment
- large skillet or Dutch oven
- 9x13" casserole dish
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian ground sausage
- ½ onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz sliced cremini mushrooms
- 24 oz traditional spaghetti sauce
- 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 lb ziti noodles, cooked al dente
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 16 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Brown the sausage in a skillet, then add onion and garlic until tender. Stir in mushrooms and cook until softened.
- Mix in spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes, and Italian seasoning; simmer for 10 minutes. Combine with cooked ziti.
- In a bowl, mix ricotta, parmesan, eggs, parsley, salt, and pepper to create the cheese mixture.
- Layer half of the pasta mixture in a greased casserole dish, add cheese mixture, and top with remaining pasta and mozzarella.
- Cover and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until bubbly.
- For freezing, cool the casserole, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 5 months.
- To bake from frozen, preheat oven, cover with foil, and bake for 1 hour, then uncover and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.
Notes
This dish can be frozen for up to 5 months if tightly packaged to prevent freezer burn. For a pasta substitute, ziti can be replaced with penne, macaroni, or other small to medium-shaped noodles. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated later.