Italian-American · main

Baked Ziti with Sausage and Ricotta

Baked Ziti with Sausage and Ricotta reads umami 6.9, richness 5.9 and salinity 4.6 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian-American main, about 1 hr 8 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.5 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.9 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 2.6 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.7 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.5 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.4 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.9 · Richness 5.9 · Salinity 4.6 · Allium 3.7 · Herbaceous 3.6 · Sweetness 3.2 · Sourness 2.3 · Fruity 2.2 · Heat 2.1 · Funk & Ferment 1.9 · Nutty 1.8 · Warm Spice 1.8 · Floral 1.6 · Earthy 1.5 · Citrus 1.2 · Bitterness 1.2

What's in it (15)

• rigatoni pasta — 454 g
• olive oil — 14 g
• sweet italian sausage — 454 g
• onion — 110 g
• garlic — 12 g
• tomatoes — 794 g
• tomatoes — 411 g
• dried leaf oregano — 1 g
• red chili flakes — 3 g
• salt — 5 g
• fresh ricotta — 425 g
• egg — 100 g
• parmesan cheese — 28 g
• basil — 15 g
• shredded mozzarella — 473 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 8 min (57 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 152.7 kcal, 9.3 g protein, 6.2 g fat, 14.6 g carbs

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

How it's cooked (11 steps)

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the ziti until just shy of al dente, 2 minutes less than the package directs, about 7 minutes; drain and set aside (it will finish cooking in the oven).
2. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, breaking it into small pieces with a spoon, and cook until deeply browned, 6-7 minutes.
3. Add the onion to the pan with the sausage 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, diced tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly and no longer tastes of raw tomato, 10-12 minutes.
6. While the sauce simmers, stir together the ricotta, egg, Parmesan, and half the basil in a medium bowl until smooth and evenly combined.
7. Add the drained ziti to the sausage-tomato sauce and toss until every piece is coated.
8. Spread half the pasta mixture in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Dollop half the ricotta mixture over the top in spoonfuls and spread gently. Repeat with the remaining pasta and ricotta mixture.
9. Scatter the mozzarella and a little extra Parmesan evenly over the top.
10. Bake, uncovered, until the cheese is melted and deeply golden in spots and the sauce is bubbling at the edges, 25-30 minutes.
11. Let the ziti rest 10 minutes before scattering the remaining basil over the top and serving.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Baked Tortellini in Creamy Tomato Sauce — Italian-American
• Roasted Red Pepper and Sausage Rigatoni — Italian-American
• Rigatoni alla Vodka with Italian Sausage — Italian-American
• Baked Gnocchi with Sausage and Tomato Cream — Italian-American
• Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage — 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.