Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
Cook Time: 35 minutes mins
Total Time: 55 minutes mins
This baked ziti recipe is my family's favorite. I use Italian sausage and dollop the top with pesto, which gives the casserole tons of flavor. This recipe is easy to make ahead and perfect for feeding a crowd! Enjoy this recipe. 🫶
Ingredients
1 lb ziti
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb Italian sausage, removed from the casing - see notes
3 cups marinara sauce
2 cups baby spinach, packed
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups cheddar, divided
½ cup pesto
1 ball mozzarella
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the ziti according to the package directions and then drain.
1 lb ziti
While the pasta boils, make the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it turns translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and sausage and
cook, breaking up the sausage, until it is cooked through and no longer pink. If there is a lot of fat in the pan, remove it with a spoon or carefully with a paper towel.
2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 lb Italian sausage
Pour the marinara sauce into the pan and bring it to a simmer. Add the spinach and let it wilt. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
3 cups marinara sauce, 2 cups baby spinach, Salt and pepper
Put the cooked ziti into a 9x11-inch casserole dish, pour the sauce over the top, and mix well. Add about 1 ½ cups of the cheddar cheese and mix it in.
2 cups cheddar
Spoon the pesto in dots over the pasta. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese then break the mozzarella ball into pieces and scatter them over the top.
½ cup pesto, 1 ball mozzarella
Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil then bake for 30-35 minutes, until it is hot and bubbling. Remove the foil and broil for 4-5 minutes to brown the cheese. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving. Notes Pasta: If you don't have ziti on hand, you can use any short-shaped tube pasta. Italian sausage: My family loves this recipe with hot Italian sausage. It adds a touch of heat and lots of flavor. If your family is really sensitive to heat, you can use mild. Or even swap the sausage for ground beef. Spinach: I love adding spinach for a little veggie boost. You can omit it if your kids don't eat it. You can also add other veggies, such as minced peppers, carrots, or mushrooms. If adding other veggies, I like to saute them with the onion. Freezing: When making this, I'll often double the quantities and make one for dinner tonight and one for the freezer. Here's how I freeze casseroles so I don't have to keep a casserole dish in the freezer: Line your casserole dish with parchment paper, assemble the casserole, and put it into your freezer. Once it's frozen, remove it from the casserole dish using the parchment paper, wrap it in foil (to prevent it from getting freezer burn), then put the frozen, casserole-shaped chunk into a resealable bag. Remove the bag and foil and put it back into your casserole dish when you want to bake it. Easy! You can bake it from frozen (adding extra time) or let it thaw in your fridge overnight. Nutrition Information: Serving: 1 = ⅛ of the recipe, Calories: 688kcal, Carbohydrates: 52g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 42g, Saturated Fat: 17g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 95mg, Sodium: 1367mg, Potassium: 652mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 1888IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 415mg, Iron: 3mg https://www.theendlessmeal.com/baked-ziti-with-sausage/