Baked Ziti with Sausage (Printer-Friendly Version)

A comforting baked dish with ziti, Italian sausage, rich sauce, creamy ricotta, and melted mozzarella and cheddar cheese.

# Ingredients Needed:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz ziti pasta

→ Meat

02 - 8 oz Italian sausage, casing removed
03 - 8 oz ground beef

→ Sauce

04 - 14.5 oz canned diced fire-roasted tomatoes, drained
05 - 12 oz marinara sauce

→ Vegetables

06 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
07 - 1 medium bell pepper, diced

→ Cheese

08 - 15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
09 - 1 large egg
10 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
11 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

→ Seasonings & Oils

12 - 1 tbsp olive oil
13 - 1 tsp Italian seasoning
14 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
15 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
16 - 1 tsp salt
17 - 1/2 tsp black pepper

# Step-by-Step Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook according to package instructions until just al dente. Drain and set aside immediately to prevent overcooking.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
03 - Add Italian sausage and ground beef to the skillet. Break up with a spoon and cook until no pink remains and meat is lightly browned. Drain off excess grease.
04 - Pour drained diced tomatoes and marinara sauce into the skillet. Stir in Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
05 - Add the cooked ziti to the skillet and stir thoroughly to coat pasta evenly with the sauce mixture.
06 - In a small bowl, blend ricotta cheese with the egg until smooth and creamy.
07 - Spread one-third of the pasta and sauce mixture into a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Dollop and gently spread one-third of the ricotta mixture over the pasta. Repeat layering two more times, finishing with pasta and sauce on top.
08 - Evenly sprinkle shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese over the final pasta layer, covering edge to edge.
09 - Cover casserole with foil and bake at 350°F for 20-30 minutes until hot and bubbling. Remove foil and broil for 2-3 minutes to brown and crisp the cheese. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Helpful Hints:

01 - Do not overcook the pasta to avoid mushiness after baking. Let the casserole rest before slicing to improve texture. The dish reheats well and can be assembled a day in advance.

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