Description
A cheesy, hearty pasta bake made with ziti, Italian sausage, creamy tomato sauce, fresh basil, and pecorino Romano, baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
1 lb ziti noodles
1½ lbs ground spicy or sweet Italian sausage (or removed from casings)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons sugar
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup heavy cream
⅓ cup plus 3 tablespoons grated pecorino Romano cheese, divided
⅓ cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving
8 oz whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook ziti until very al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain and return to pot.
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) with rack in the middle.
- In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, cook sausage until browned, 5–6 minutes. Remove to a plate.
- Drain excess fat, leaving 1 tablespoon. Reduce heat to low, add garlic, and cook 1 minute.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, salt, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Add heavy cream, ⅓ cup pecorino Romano, cooked sausage, and basil; stir to combine.
- Pour sauce mixture into pot with pasta, stir gently to coat.
- Spoon half of pasta into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with 1 cup mozzarella and 1½ tablespoons pecorino Romano. Repeat with remaining pasta, then top with remaining mozzarella and pecorino Romano.
- Bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes until cheese is melted and browned.
- Garnish with extra basil before serving.
Notes
- Replace sausage with vegetables for a vegetarian version.
- Add ricotta between layers for extra creaminess.
- Use hot sausage or more red pepper flakes for a spicier dish.
- Make ahead and refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking.
- Freeze unbaked for up to 3 months; thaw before baking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 recipe
- Calories: 590
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 27g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
