Description
A comforting baked ziti dish with Italian sausage, creamy cheeses, and marinara sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 oz dry ziti pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb Hot Italian Sausage
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2–3 jars marinara/spaghetti sauce (24 ounces each)
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 8 ounce pkg cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese
- Fresh Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook pasta 2 minutes under al dente according to package directions, drain and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet, add onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes, add sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 12 minutes.
- Drain fat and add garlic, cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, combine cottage cheese, cream cheese, and 2 cups mozzarella cheese, and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil.
- Add meat mixture to pasta and mix until combined.
- In a 9×13 baking dish, pour half the pasta mixture, add small scoops of cheese mixture, then the rest of the pasta.
- Top with 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
- Garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
Notes
- You can use 2-3 jars of marinara or spaghetti sauce depending on preference.
- For best flavor, use fresh basil as a garnish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 60mg