This Five Ingredient Baked Ziti is the best easy dinner solution. It is all the comfort of a home cooked meal with minimal effort. Your family will love it.
While I love my baked ziti recipe, I thought it might be nice to give you a cheater’s version. Or not a cheater’s version, but a busy parent version. This recipe is super simple to throw together. It makes a really big batch, so you can feed teenagers and still have leftovers. Add this to your back pocket for the days you need an easy solution.
How to Make Baked Ziti
Here is a step-by-step overview of how this easy baked ziti recipe comes together. For the full recipe, including all ingredients and detailed instructions, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Cook the Ziti Pasta
Cook according to package directions, erring on the side of el dente since it will also bake, then drain and set aside. Check out all of my tips and tricks for cooking pasta.
Cook the Italian Sausage
In a large skillet over medium heat, break it up as it cooks until it is fully browned.
Put it All Together
Stir the cooked pasta, cooked Italian sausage, marinara sauce, ricotta cheese, and some of the mozzarella cheese together in the baking dish.
Bake the Ziti
Top the dish with the remaining shredded cheese and bake for 30 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly. For that amazing browned cheese that you see here, pop it under the broiler for a few minutes at the end.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap the meat. If your family doesn’t eat pork, you can substitute it with ground beef or ground turkey. If you do that, I would recommend adding some Italian seasoning.
- Use cottage cheese instead of ricotta. I personally can’t get on board with this swap, but I know a lot of people who don’t like ricotta. I would recommend blending the cottage cheese first.
- Use a different pasta. Penne or Rigatoni would also work great in this baked pasta recipe. Just be sure to follow the directions on the package when cooking it.
- Add in a few more ingredients. If you have the time, consider adding in a diced yellow onion and a few cloves of minced garlic to the meat as you brown it for extra flavor.
Making Ahead
This is a great recipe to make ahead. You can make this up to the point of putting it in the oven and instead wrap it and put it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Add five to ten minutes to bake time when you make it.
This is also a great recipe to freeze. After putting it all together, but before baking it, cover it in aluminum foil and then wrap it three times in plastic wrap. Freeze for up to three months. When read to make, allow it thaw in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Add ten to fifteen minutes to the bake time.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store any leftover baked ziti with ricotta cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in the microwave or oven until heated through. Remember that leftovers should never be reheated more than once.
What to Serve with Baked Ziti
If you make this easy Baked Ziti with Sausage or any of my other recipes, I’d love to hear how you enjoyed it! Be sure to come back and leave a comment.
Five Ingredient Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 1 pound ziti
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 28 ounces marinara sauce
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9 by 13 inch baking dish and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a roaring boil and cook the ziti according to package directions. Be sure to err on the side of quicker cooking time since this will also bake in the oven. (Continue to Step Three while the water is coming to a boil.)1 pound ziti
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the Italian sausage, breaking it up. Cook until it is browned. Then drain the grease from the pan.1 pound Italian sausage
- In the prepared baking dish, combine the cooked ziti, Italian sausage, ricotta cheese, marinara sauce, and 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese. Top the dish with the remaining mozzarella cheese.28 ounces marinara sauce, 15 ounces ricotta cheese, 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and beginning to brown. If desired, turn the broiler on for a minute or two to crisp up the top, watching closely so it doesn't burn.
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