The Best Baked Ziti Recipe

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.

Cook the ziti pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, cook the Italian sausage over medium heat, breaking it up into crumbles, until browned and cooked through. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

In the same skillet, add the diced onion and minced garlic. Cook until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant.

Add the crushed tomatoes, dried basil, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Stir well to combine.

Reduce heat to low and let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in the cooked Italian sausage and remove from heat.

In the greased baking dish, layer half of the cooked ziti pasta. Spoon half of the tomato sauce mixture over the pasta.

Dollop half of the ricotta cheese over the sauce. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses on top.

Repeat the layers with the remaining ziti, tomato sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Garnish with chopped fresh basil before serving.