This post is sponsored by Publix, but the thoughts and opinions here are all my own – just as always.
It’s super simple, too. You place your order and an Instacart personal shopper takes it from there. From picking out the perfect produce (you can even leave them notes when ordering about things like ripeness), to choosing the freshest bread, and even carefully handling those delicate items like eggs, your shopper is trained to pay attention to detail. You pick an arrival time window and your groceries show right up to your door.
I just love it! And it was super helpful right before Thanksgiving when I had quite a list of things that I had forgotten, but was knee-deep in cooking. I placed an order and had my groceries delivered at about 9pm that night and didn’t have to stop what I was doing to make another grocery store run.
When things are crazy busy, I turn to quick and easy meals that come together without a lot of work. This Cheesy Baked Ziti is one of my favorites for just that.
It’s quick to make, affordable, and makes plenty for leftovers – which we love. You know, some things just taste better the next day and this is one of them! It’s a cheesy, hearty, stick-to-your-ribs kind of dish that’s perfect for the cooler months but is so delicious, you’ll want it all year long.
Recipe Card
Cheesy Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 1 (1-pound) box ziti (I used ziti rigati, but you can also use penne)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
- 2 (24-ounce) jars marinara
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 (8-ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large stock pot, heat about 2 quarts of water to boiling and stir in about 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta and stir occasionally. Cook until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet or dutch oven. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add the sausage and crumble and cook until just browned. Drain away the excess fat and return the meat and onion mixture to the heat. Add the marinara sauce and Italian seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste. Fold in the pasta being sure to coat it in the sauce.
- Add about half of the pasta and sauce mixture to the prepared baking dish. Stir the ricotta cheese to make it smooth then drop dollops of it evenly onto the pasta. Sprinkle all the parmesan and about half of the mozzarella cheese over it.
- Add the remaining pasta mixture in another layer. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
Notes
I have made and eaten many baked ziti dishes over the years and this one is BY FAR the best!! I used ground chuck instead of sausage.
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it, Rachel!
Hubs and I loved it!! We tweaked it a little…. We used salsiccia, did a jat or marinara and a jar or tomato/basil sauce and added 1 tsp of crushed red chili flake for a bit of spice!! Super yum!!!
Sounds great! So glad y’all enjoyed it!
Just made this for the third time! It’s a keeper!!! Thanks 😊
Awesome! So glad to hear you’ve gotten some great use out of this one.
Hi I’m planning to make this soon. Would this be good with ground beef or mixture of Italian sausage and hamburger? Thanks!
Karen, you might find it a little bland with just beef so my recommendation would be to use a blend of beef and sausage.
Made it. Fantastic. My wife if vegetarian so instead of sausage I added spinach and zucchini. Brought some to a friend everyone loved it especially me. Making another one this week with the meet can’t wait. Easy Peasy.
Meat
So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
I can’t wait to go with this recipe. Something I have enjoyed for quite sometime. however have never made it.
Thank you!
Hope you enjoy it!
Can u make this ahead?
You can!
Can you use ground beef instead of sausage?
Yes, absolutely.