Pizza Baked Ziti

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I like to make Pizza Baked Ziti on the nights we need dinner to be easy and delicious for everyone at the table - and if you have an oven-safe skillet, you can make it in one single dish!

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: servings

Calories: 601kcal

Author: Nora from Savory Nothings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion or celery or a mix (optional - feel free to skip if you’re short on time; about 1 small onion and 2 sticks celery)
1 pound Italian sausage
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste
1 (24-oz) jar marinara sauce OR 3 cups homemade sauce
3-4 cups water OR chicken broth OR water + bouillon
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese divided use
1 (8-oz) bag shredded mozzarella cheese divided use
1 (16-oz) box ziti pasta uncooked
pepperoni or salami slices to taste (I usually use both, haha!)

Instructions

Prep:
An oven-safe braiser or skillet (3.5 - 4 quart) with an oven-safe lid works best for this recipe. Preheat oven to 400F. Get your ingredients ready.
Cook vegetables and sausage:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook vegetables until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add sausage and cook until no longer pink; drain and stir in seasonings.
Tip: Season well enough so the pasta doesn’t turn out bland - I do ½ teaspoon salt and as much pepper as I feel like that day; if you’re using broth instead of water, be careful with how much salt you add.
1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 cup chopped onion or celery, 1 pound Italian sausage, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, salt & pepper
Add remaining ingredients:
Add pasta sauce, water, ½ cup Parmesan cheese and ½ cup mozzarella cheese; stir to combine. Add the uncooked pasta to sauce in skillet; mix gently.
Note: You only need ½ cup of each cheese in this step, save the remaining cheese for topping later!
1 (24-oz) jar marinara sauce, 3-4 cups water, 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, 1 (16-oz) box ziti pasta, 1 (8-oz) bag shredded mozzarella cheese
Bake:
Bake, covered, at 400F for 25-30 minutes or until the pasta is nearly done. Carefully remove from oven, remove cover (careful, hot steam!) and stir.
Finish baking:
Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese; arrange pepperoni slices on top and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
Bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes, until browned on top and bubbly.
Tip: For toppings, I like a mix of mozzarella, salami, Parmesan, and pepperoni (in that order!) I don't smooth the top and leave some without cheese for crispy pasta edges!
pepperoni or salami slices
Serve:
Let the casserole sit on the counter for 5 minutes, then serve immediately.

Notes

Pasta shape: You can use any short pasta shape you have on hand! Spirals, bow-ties, penne - all fine.
Meat: Feel free to use ground beef, ground pork, ground turkey... or even a mix in place of the Italian sausage. Just keep in mind that the ground sausage is seasoned, so if you use a plain ground meat, you may want to add a little extra seasoning.
No skillet? If you don't have an oven-safe skillet or braiser with a lid, stir the pasta into the sauce BEFORE adding the water/broth. Transfer it to a deep 3.5 - 4-quart casserole dish, THEN stir in the liquid. Cover tightly with foil and place in the oven.

Nutrition