Easy Baked Ziti with Ricotta & Italian Sausage: Make-Ahead Dinner
My tasty baked ziti with ricotta & Italian sausage is the perfect all-in-one casserole dinner that combines pasta, sausage, cheese, and tomato sauce. This freezer-friendly meal can be prepared in advance or made the day of. Either way, your family will love this delicious twist on classic lasagna.
For more family-favorite pasta dishes, try my chicken bacon ranch pasta, seafood pasta, lasagna, and baked rigatoni.
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When I need a flavorful meal that is easy to throw together, pasta is always my go-to. From simple cream cheese pasta to more elegant prime rib pasta, my family has always been a fan.
I like to prepare this casserole on the weekend when I’m not busy, then store it in the freezer to grab on one of my hectic weeknights. It’s an all-in-one meal that doesn’t even need any side dishes to accompany it.
🥘 Ingredients
- Ziti – Cook your ziti pasta according to the packaged directions, but for 1-2 minutes less so it is still firm. Drain it, rinse it in cold water, and set it aside until ready to use.
Sauce
- Italian Sausage – You can use hot, mild, or sweet ground Italian sausage. For a vegetarian version, simply omit the sausage or swap it out for a meat alternative like Impossible savory ground sausage.
- Onion – Diced white or yellow onion. If your family isn’t a fan of onions, you can replace it with 2 teaspoons of onion powder.
- Pasta Sauce – Your favorite store-bought or homemade pasta sauce like my tasty marinara, arrabbiata, or pomodoro sauce.
- Crushed Tomatoes – Don’t drain your crushed tomatoes. You could also use petite diced tomatoes.
- Water – Some water to thin the sauce and add volume.
- Italian Seasoning – Use your favorite store-bought brand or make your own.
Cheese Mixture
- Ricotta Cheese – Full-fat ricotta cheese will yield the best flavor.
- Parsley – Fresh, chopped parsley or fresh basil (baby basil leaves are best).
- Egg – One beaten egg will bind everything together.
- Mozzarella – You’ll need mozzarella for the cheese mixture and topping the casserole.
- Parmesan – I recommend shredding your cheese for the best results.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Baked Ziti with Ricotta & Italian Sausage
This casserole may have several components, but all of them are quick and easy. You will need a large skillet or Dutch oven, measuring cups and spoons, a small mixing bowl, and a 9×13 baking dish.
This recipe is good for eight servings.
Make The Sauce
Step 1:Preheat. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C/Gas Mark 5) and grease a 9×13 baking dish.
Step 2: Brown the meat. In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown 1 pound (454 grams) of Italian sausage and ½ cup (80 grams) of white onion, crumbling the sausage as it cooks. Drain any excess grease if needed.
Step 3: Simmer. Add 24-28 ounces (680 grams) of pasta sauce, 14-15 ounces (397 grams) of crushed tomatoes, ⅔ cup (158 milliliters) of water, and ½ tablespoon of Italian seasoning. Stir to combine, and then bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered to thicken the gravy for about 15 minutes.
Mix The Cheese Filling
Step 4: Mix. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix 16 ounces (454 grams) of ricotta cheese, 2 tablespoons of parsley, 1 large egg, 1 of the 2 cups (112 of 224 grams) of mozzarella cheese, and ¼ cup (25 grams) Parmesan cheese until well combined. Set aside.
Assemble The Casserole
Step 5: Assemble. Assemble the layers with the sauce mixture (about 1-1½ cups), half of your 16 ounces (454 grams) of ziti, and the ricotta mixture.
Step 6: Finish assembling. Continue layering by adding the rest of the cooked ziti, the remaining sauce, and the final 1 cup of mozzarella.
Bake & Serve
Step 7: Bake. Bake at 375°F (190°C/Gas Mark 5) for 40-45 minutes until the sauce bubbles around the edges.
Step 8: Serve. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
🍱 Freeze Drying Instructions
Pasta dishes and casseroles are easy to freeze dry for long-term storage. I’m using a small Harvest Right freeze dryer, so breaking up the casserole into my trays works best for filling the trays.
Once filled, I weighed the trays and then froze the trays of ziti overnight. This pre-freeze will cut down on the time that my freeze dryer is running.
I freeze-dried this baked ziti overnight in a 20-hour cycle. Weigh the trays again to calculate the amount of liquid needed to rehydrate the food, then store it in a Mylar bag with an oxygen absorber.
Are you looking to buy a home freeze dryer? Visit Harvest Right to start saving money by not wasting food now! *My affiliate link does not add cost to your purchase, but it does help BIWL continue creating great recipes for you.
💭 Tips & Notes
- Use a large skillet. Ensure your skillet is large enough to allow the sauce to simmer without overflowing. If necessary, you can use a saucepan or Dutch oven.
- Cook until al dente. When cooking your pasta, only cook it until it is al dente, usually 1-2 minutes less than what is on the packaging.
- Reduce the mess. Place a sheet of aluminum foil on a lower rack to catch any liquids that may boil over while baking.
- Make it in advance. Prepare your ziti in advance by assembling it as directed, covering it with plastic wrap, and storing it in the fridge for up to one day.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Any leftovers can be kept in the fridge for 3-4 days. They’re best stored in a single layer in a shallow airtight container or wrapped with plastic cling film to cover the baking dish.
Your unbaked ziti can be wrapped in plastic cling wrap and heavy-duty aluminum foil and then frozen for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking as directed.
Reheating
Reheat small or individual portions in the microwave, covered with a damp paper towel to reduce the splatter. Or warm the entire pan in the oven at 300°F (150°C/Gas Mark 2), covered with foil, until hot.
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📖 Recipe Card
Baked Ziti with Ricotta and Italian Sausage
My tasty baked ziti with ricotta & Italian sausage is the perfect all-in-one casserole dinner that combines pasta, sausage, cheese, and tomato sauce. This freezer-friendly meal can be prepared in advance or made the day of. Either way, your family will love this delicious twist on classic lasagna.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 652kcal
Prep 20 minutes
Cooking 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage (sweet, hot, or mild, or use a 50/50 combination of ground beef and sausage)
- ½ cup white onion (diced, or yellow onion)
- 24-28 oz pasta sauce (or marinara)
- 14-15 oz crushed tomatoes (do not drain, or use petite diced tomatoes)
- ⅔ cup water
- ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 16 oz ricotta cheese
- 2 tablespoon parsley (fresh, chopped)
- 1 large egg (beaten, at room temperature)
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded, divided into two equal 1 cup portions)
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (shredded)
- 16 oz ziti (cooked, drained, and rinsed)
Instructions
Make the Gravy Sauce
-
In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown 1 lb Italian sausage and ½ cup white onion, crumbling the sausage as it cooks. Drain any excess grease if needed.
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Add 24-28 oz pasta sauce, 14-15 oz crushed tomatoes, ⅔ cup water, and ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning. Stir to combine, and then bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered to thicken the gravy, about 15 minutes.
Mix The Cheese Filling
-
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together 16 oz ricotta cheese, 2 tablespoon parsley, 1 large egg, 1 of the 2 cups mozzarella cheese, and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese until well combined. Set aside.
Assemble The Casserole
-
Assemble the layers by starting with some sauce mixture (about 1-1½ cups), half of your 16 oz ziti, and the ricotta mixture.
-
Continue layering by adding the rest of the cooked ziti, the remaining sauce, and the final 1 cup of mozzarella.
Notes
- Be sure that your skillet is large enough to allow the sauce to simmer without overflowing. If necessary, you can use a saucepan or Dutch oven.
- When cooking your pasta, only cook it until it is al dente, usually 1-2 minutes less than what is on the packaging.
- Place a sheet of aluminum foil on a lower rack to catch any liquids that may boil over while baking.
- Prepare your ziti in advance by assembling it as directed, covering it with plastic wrap, and storing it in the fridge for up to one day.
- This pasta recipe is another dish that’s ideal for freeze-drying for long term storage and great camping meals. Spread the leftovers (about half the casserole) out on 3-4 small Harvest Right trays. Pre-freeze overnight, then set for a 20-24 hour freeze drying cycle.
Storage:
- Your unbaked ziti can be wrapped in plastic cling wrap and heavy-duty aluminum foil and then frozen for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking as directed.
- Reheat small portions in the microwave or the entire pan in the oven at 300°F (150°C/Gas Mark 2), covered with foil, until hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 652kcal (33%) | Carbohydrates: 55g (18%) | Protein: 32g (64%) | Fat: 34g (52%) | Saturated Fat: 16g (100%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 120mg (40%) | Sodium: 1171mg (51%) | Potassium: 784mg (22%) | Fiber: 4g (17%) | Sugar: 8g (9%) | Vitamin A: 1064IU (21%) | Vitamin C: 14mg (17%) | Calcium: 359mg (36%) | Iron: 4mg (22%)
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Originally published April 2, 2024
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma’s kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
