Three-Cheese Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage
Three-Cheese Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage layers al dente pasta with rich tomato sauce, fennel-kissed sausage, and a melty trio of mozzarella, Italian blend, and Parmesan. Anchovy paste adds savory depth, while black olives and red pepper flakes bring balance and gentle heat. Serve it for family dinners or potlucks when you want bubbling edges and a satisfyingly cheesy bite.
- Prep45 mins
- Cook40 mins
- Serves12
- DifficultyMedium
- 1
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Coat a 4-quart rectangular baking dish with nonstick spray. Combine the mozzarella and Italian blend cheeses in a bowl and refrigerate.
- 2
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the ziti and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain.
- 3
At the same time, heat 3 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and break it into small pieces. Sprinkle baking soda over the sausage, then add the onion and garlic. Cook and stir, continuing to break up any clumps as it cooks, until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour off and discard any grease.
- 4
Add the pasta sauce, olives, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, anchovy paste, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Add up to 3 tablespoons more oil if desired, and keep stirring until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring regularly, until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the ziti.
- 5
Spread 1/2 of the sauced ziti in the prepared baking dish and evenly sprinkle 1/2 of the shredded cheese mixture on top. Spoon or ladle the remaining ziti evenly over the top without disturbing the layers underneath; it is fine if some ziti remain partially exposed as they will brown nicely and taste delicious as they bake. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese mixture on top and sprinkle Parmesan over the surface.
- 6
Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven until bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes before serving.
- Calories 588.65 kcal High
- Protein 22.94 g Good Source
- Carbs 47.56 g Moderate
- Total Fat 34.75 g High
- Saturated Fat 9.8 g High
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source
- Cholesterol 59.55 mg Moderate
- Sodium 1009.08 mg High
- Fiber 3.66 g Moderate
- Sugar 6.96 g Moderate
- Added Sugar 0.0 g Low Source
- Calcium 445.09 mg Good Source
- Iron 2.82 mg Moderate
- Potassium 446.56 mg Low Source
- Vitamin A 82.65 mcg_rae Low Source
- Vitamin C 15.0 mg Moderate
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Fish 🐟
- Milk 🥛
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Three Cheese Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage is an Italian dinner recipe made with 17 ingredients. It takes about 1 hr 25 mins, serves 12, and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Anchovy Paste, Baking Soda, Black Pepper, and Cooking Spray. Each serving provides about 588.65 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Three-Cheese Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage?
- It is an Italian recipe made with 17 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch.
- What is Three-Cheese Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage made of?
- The main ingredients are Anchovy Paste, Baking Soda, Black Pepper, Cooking Spray, Diced Onion. The full list of 17 is above.
- What goes well with Three-Cheese Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage?
- Explore these Italian side-dish recipes.
- How long does it take to make Three-Cheese Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage?
- About 1 hr 25 mins in total: 45 mins to prepare and 40 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 588.65 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Three-Cheese Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 17 ingredients and 6 steps.
How easyChef Pro Scores This Recipe
easyChef Pro gives every recipe a health score from 0 to 100, built from more than 30 nutritional parameters including nutrient density, energy density and glycemic impact. It calculates rather than estimates, so the same recipe returns the same score every time.
The number is traceable. You can see exactly which nutrient moved it, so a dish scoring 78 might show fiber pushing it up while sodium pulls it down, alongside the NOVA processing level of each ingredient.
Your health goal changes the calculation itself, not just a filter. easyChef Pro applies clinically derived weighting across six health dimensions, which is why the same dish can score well for one goal and poorly for another.
Swap an ingredient or change the serving size and that math changes with it. Scoring your own version is the only way to see what your kitchen actually produces.
Modified this recipe?
Changing ingredients or serving sizes changes the nutrition profile. Score your own version with easyChef Pro to see how it compares.