Easy Baked Ziti Recipe with Italian Sausage
This easy baked ziti recipe is on the table fast and feeds a crowd, made with ziti noodles, melty mozzarella cheese, and loads of Italian sausage. A perfect midweek dinner for the family.
Servings: 8
Calories: 485kcal
Ingredients
- 1 Hot Italian Sausages 19 ounces, 5 links (I use hot Italian sausage)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 jalapeno pepper chopped
- 1 medium white onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 28- ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil + more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings (or more to taste)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 1-1/2 to 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon chili powder (use paprika or cayenne for spicier - optional)
- 16 ounce package mini ziti
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese + more for serving
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese cubed or shredded
Instructions
- Cook the Italian Sausages according to the instructions on the packaging. Cool, then slice them into 1/2 inch slices. Set aside.
- While sausages are cooking, heat oil in a pot over medium heat and add jalapeno and onion. Cook for 5 minutes to soften.
- Add garlic and cook another minute, stirring.
- Add crushed tomatoes, fresh basil, Italian seasonings and salt and pepper. Bring to a quick boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Get a pot of water boiling for the ziti noodles and add a generous pinch of salt.
- Next, melt butter in a medium sized pan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to form a roux, or butter/flour paste. Cook, stirring, about 5 minutes to darken slightly. Whisk in milk and continue whisking over medium heat until it thickens up, about 5 minutes. This is a bechamel sauce. Remove from heat and stir in chili powder (if using).
- Add the ziti noodles to the boiling salted water and cook according to the package directions, until al dente. For firmer noodles, stop cooking them a couple minutes before they finish, as they will cook more as we bake them.
- To a large baking dish, add the cooked noodles, tomato sauce, bechamel sauce, sliced sausages and Parmesan cheese. Mix well.
- Top with mozarrella cheese and bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is nicely melted.
- Top with fresh chopped basil and extra Parmesan cheese. Serve!
Notes
Serves 6-8.
Nutrition
Calories: 485kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 640mg | Potassium: 525mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 740IU | Vitamin C: 13.2mg | Calcium: 337mg | Iron: 2.7mg