Description
Cheesy, decadent, and hearty Three-Cheese Baked Ziti is baked to perfection with Italian sausage and quality store-bought marinara.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb dry ziti
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large shallot, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt, pepper, + red pepper flakes (to taste)
- 46 oz. (2 jars) Ragu Traditional Thick + Hearty Homestyle Sauce
- 15 oz. ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tablespoon each fresh chopped parsley and basil (plus more for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the pasta until al dente. Rinse with cold water and set aside. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to prevent sticking.
- While the water is boiling, heat a deep skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil. Cook garlic and shallot until softened, but not browned. Season with sea salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Add sausage and break up well, crumbling. Cook until the sausage is browned and cook through.
- Pour the marinara on top of the sausage mixture and mix well. Bring the mixture to a simmer to meld flavors and let cool slightly.
- Mix the ricotta in a bowl with a 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, sea salt, pepper, a pinch of red pepper flakes, 1 egg, and 1 tablespoon each fresh chopped parsley and basil.
- Reserve half of the sauce in a bowl. Mix the rest of the sauce with the pasta and toss gently. Mix in 3/4 of the ricotta and toss until just combined.
- Layer the baked ziti in a large baking casserole dish: Spread some sauce on the bottom of the dish. Layer half of the pasta. Dollop some small spoonfuls of the ricotta. Top with half the reserved sauce.
- Repeat the process once more.
- Evenly top the baked ziti with 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of Parmesan.
- Bake until bubbly and slightly browned, about 40 minutes. Enjoy!