Triple-Cheese Italian Sausage Baked Ziti (Print Version)

A saucy baked ziti layered with Italian sausage, ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan for a hearty family dinner.

# Ingredients:

For the pasta and sauce

01 - 1 lb (450 g) ziti pasta
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for the baking dish
03 - 1 lb (450 g) Italian sausage, sweet or hot, casings removed
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
05 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 can (28 oz or 795 g) crushed tomatoes
07 - 2 cups (480 ml) marinara sauce
08 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
09 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
10 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for pasta water
11 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For the three cheeses

12 - 15 oz (425 g) whole-milk ricotta cheese
13 - 1 large egg
14 - 1/2 cup (50 g) grated parmesan cheese, divided
15 - 3 cups (340 g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese, divided
16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
17 - 2 tablespoons torn fresh basil, plus more for serving

# Instructions:

01 - Heat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Boil the ziti in well-salted water for 1-2 minutes less than package directions, then drain.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned and cooked through.
03 - Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds, then add crushed tomatoes, marinara, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 12-15 minutes.
04 - In a bowl, stir together ricotta, egg, 1/4 cup parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella, parsley, and basil. Mix just until combined so the ricotta stays creamy.
05 - Toss the drained ziti with about two-thirds of the sausage sauce. Spread half in the baking dish, add spoonfuls of ricotta mixture, then sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat with remaining pasta, sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan.
06 - Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 15-20 minutes more, until the center is hot and the cheese is melted with browned spots.
07 - Let the baked ziti rest for 10 minutes before scooping. Finish with extra basil if you like.

# Notes:

01 - Serve after a 10-minute rest so the layers hold together.
02 - Assemble up to 24 hours ahead and bake from chilled.
03 - Add 10-15 minutes covered bake time if the dish is cold from the refrigerator.

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