Ingredients
Scale
- 1lb ziti pasta
- olive oil
- 1lb bulk Italian sausage
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 3 garlic cloves (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil (minced)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 (32 ounces) jar marinara sauce
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 heaping cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add ziti and cook according to package directions until al dente (you want the noodles to be edible but still firm). Drain and toss the noodles with a little bit of olive oil to prevent them from sticking together.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook while breaking up into chunks with a spatula or spoon until the sausage is browned. Add onions and stir well to combine. Sauté until the onions are translucent and beginning to brown (about 4-5 minutes). Add garlic, basil, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute and then add the marinara sauce and stir well. Bring to a simmer.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread a thin layer of the sauce onto the bottom of a greased 9×13 inch baking dish. Dot the surface of the sauce with ricotta cheese. Add a ladle of the sauce into the pasta and stir well. Add the pasta into the casserole dish on top of the ricotta.
- Pour the remaining sauce over the pasta and dot with the remaining ricotta cheese. Sprinkle the top with mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
- Place into the oven and bake until the top is lightly browned and the cheese has melted (about 20 minutes).