Quick and Easy Baked Ziti

Bayhill's Note:

This is a quick dish I like to make when I need to get dinner on the table in a hurry. If you like a zestier ziti, use a hot Italian sausage. Note: cooking/prep time does not include time for cooking pasta.

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 1 lb mild Italian sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (26 ounce) jar pasta sauce with mushrooms
• 1 (12 ounce) package ziti pasta or 1 (12 ounce) package penne pasta, cooked and drained according to package directions
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 9x13" baking dish; set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, cook sausage, onions, green pepper, and garlic over medium heat until sausage is browned; drain fat.
3. Add pasta sauce and cook until mixture is hot, stirring occasionally. Add pasta to the sauce mixture and mix well. Stir in 1 cup of the Mozzarella cheese, mixing until well combined.
4. Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining 1 cup Mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil.
5. Bake at 350ºF for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Reviews

[AustinsAm]

Delicious! My husband informed me that this dish made his top 3 favorite dishes that I've made! Used less onion & pepper and penne pasta. Great flavor and the house smelled delicious too:)

[breezermom]

I made this for your win in football tag, and I'm so glad I picked this recipe! I halved the recipe, but this still made at least enough for 4 people. I used rigatoni, because I found I didn't have ziti after all. :) I will enjoy this for lunch tomorrow....I think Italian is always even better the next day!

[ChefDLH]

Very nice, Bayhill. I must admit that I am a traditional ricotta based italian baked ziti person. To me baked ziti will always be that way. That said this was a YUMMY pasta dish. My son said it was 5 stars right away. It has flavor from the sauce, sausage and the garlic but you could add Italian seasonings if you are purest. This is easy but was a multiple pot clean up. We really enjoyed the meal.
Made for Zaar Cookbook Tag January 2012. Enjoy! ChefDLH.