The ingredients for this recipe are similar to lasagna, but it’s way easier to put together. So easy, in fact, that it is one of my weeknight staples, especially when pressed for time and the family is yelling hungry. Seriously, what could be better than the smell of cheese, pasta, and tomato sauce wafting from your oven after a long day? And it’s so gratifying to see all the smiles on the faces of my loved ones while the whole pan disappears.
Recipe Ingredients
How to Make Baked Ziti
Make the Sauce
Saute the Bacon – In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté bacon until brown and crisp. This may take about 6-7 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. (Photo 1)Cook the Sausage – In the same skillet, add Italian sausage to the pan, cook for about 3-5 minutes or until brown, and break it up to prevent clumping. (Photo 2)Add the Seasonings – If you need more oil, add a little olive oil, then throw in the onion, garlic, thyme, and Italian seasoning – sauté for about 2-3 minutes or until the onions are translucent.Add the Sauce – Stir in tomato sauce and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and let it cook for at least 30-45 minutes. (Photos 3-5)
Assemble and Bake
Cook the Pasta – While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta al dente (pasta with a bite to it). Do not overcook it coz nobody likes mushy pasta. 😝Finish the Sauce – Once the sauce is ready, remove the bay leaf and add bacon and pasta. (Photo 6)Taste Test – Perform a taste test (my favorite part!), then adjust salt, pepper, and seasonings as needed.Add the Cheese – Stir in the parmesan cheese and mozzarella, setting aside about ½ cup or more to sprinkle on top. (Photo 7)Assembly – Transfer to a greased 2-quart or 13″x9″ baking dish.Top with More Cheese – Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.Bake, uncovered, at 350℉/177℃ for about 20-30 minutes or until ziti is heated through and the top is slightly brown. (Photo 8)Rest – Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes.Serve while it is still piping hot.
Recipe Variations
Tips and Tricks
Make-Ahead Instructions
You can assemble this baked ziti and refrigerate it covered up to two days in advance. Simply put it in the oven and bake it when you are ready to eat it. Honestly, it tastes better when you put it together the day before. To make it way ahead, you can freeze the whole lasagna. If you thaw it in the fridge overnight, bake it uncovered at 350℉/177℃ for about 30 minutes. If it’s still frozen, bake it for about an hour covered with foil, then 20-30 minutes uncovered to finish it off.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Serve baked ziti fresh out of the oven and garnish with fresh herbs and even more grated parmesan cheese. Parsley and basil are excellent choices for garnishes. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and kept for five days or frozen for three months.
What to Serve With Baked Ziti
I love to serve this dish with bread and a salad. Homemade bread is the best, like my super easy no-knead bread or a batch of tasty garlic knot bread. I also like to serve this dish with a simple wedge salad or a flavorful Greek salad. Oh! And don’t forget to pour yourself a glass of your favorite red wine. 😉
More Fabulous Pasta Recipes to Try
Fettuccine AlfredoSausage and PastaChicken Pasta BakeRasta PastaBlackened Shrimp and PastaCajun Salmon Alfredo Pasta
Conclusion
Super easy baked ziti for a make-at-home Fazoli’s comfort food is the way to go. Do you have a favorite restaurant knock-off you love to make? Please tell me what it is in the comments.😍
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”tGWy2Q3B” upload-date=”2022-01-06T06:43:40.000Z” name=”Easy Baked Ziti ” description=”Easy Baked Ziti is a decadent, simple pasta casserole dish that is meaty, gooey, and cheesy. This potluck favorite is an absolute crowd pleaser and serves as a hearty side dish or main course.” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”] This blog post was originally published in August 2018 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
