Italian-American · main

Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage

Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage reads umami 7.1, richness 5.7 and salinity 4.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian-American main, about 1 hr 16 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.8 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 4.6 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 3.9 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.8 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.3 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.7 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.1 · Richness 5.7 · Salinity 4.7 · Allium 4.0 · Sweetness 3.7 · Herbaceous 3.5 · Sourness 3.5 · Fruity 3.1 · Heat 2.1 · Funk & Ferment 1.9 · Nutty 1.9 · Warm Spice 1.8 · Earthy 1.6 · Floral 1.6 · Citrus 1.4 · Bitterness 1.1

What's in it (16)

• rigatoni pasta — 454 g
• sweet italian sausage — 454 g
• olive oil — 14 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• garlic — 12 g
• tomatoes — 794 g
• tomato sauce — 425 g
• dried leaf oregano — 1 g
• red chili flakes — 3 g
• salt — 5 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• fresh ricotta — 425 g
• egg — 100 g
• mozzarella cheese — 227 g
• parmesan cheese — 57 g
• basil — 15 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 16 min (1 hr 6 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 153.6 kcal, 8.8 g protein, 5.8 g fat, 16.2 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (11 steps)

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti until just shy of al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directs since it will finish cooking in the oven, 8-9 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. While the water heats, warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, breaking it into small crumbles with a spoon, and cook until no longer pink and lightly browned, 6-7 minutes.
3. Add the onion to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 4-5 minutes.
4. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
5. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, red pepper flakes, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 15-18 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, 1 cup of the mozzarella, the Parmesan, basil, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt until evenly combined.
7. Heat the oven to 375 F. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss until every piece is coated.
8. Spread half the pasta and sauce in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Dollop half the ricotta mixture over the top in spoonfuls, then repeat with the remaining pasta-sauce and ricotta mixture, leaving the ricotta in visible pockets rather than smoothing it flat.
9. Scatter the remaining 1 cup mozzarella evenly over the top.
10. Bake, uncovered, until the cheese is melted and golden in spots and the sauce is bubbling at the edges, 25-28 minutes.
11. Let rest 10 minutes before serving so the layers set; scatter the extra basil over the top just before bringing it to the table.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Baked Ziti with Sausage and Ricotta — Italian-American
• Baked Rigatoni with Meat Sauce — Italian-American
• Sausage and Peppers — Italian-American
• Baked Tortellini in Creamy Tomato Sauce — Italian-American
• Roasted Red Pepper and Sausage Rigatoni — Italian-American

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.