Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Baked Ziti with Italian Turkey Sausage
Italian turkey sausage gives this cheesy pasta bake a savory flavor that sits well with tangy marinara. Ricotta nestles among the pasta beneath the melted mozzarella. A helping from the edge catches some of that bubbling cheese along with plenty of sauce.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Original yield
- Serves 6
- Ingredients
- 10 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Turkey
- Cuisine
- American · Italian
- Cooking method
- Baking · Baked & roasted
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 31–60 minutes
- Dish type
- Pasta
A few quick notes
1. Leave the pasta a little firm
Take the pasta off the heat before it's fully cooked. It keeps softening in the oven, and that slight bite helps it hold up under the sauce and cheese.
2. Build the sauce first
Cook the sausage just until done, then soften the onion with the garlic and seasoning before adding the marinara. Once the sauce goes in, the heat can come off.
3. Layer, don't overthink it
A thin layer of sauce on the bottom helps the pasta settle in. After that, use half of everything, then repeat with the rest.
Get to know the ingredients
Italian turkey sausage
Remove the casings before cooking so the sausage can crumble into the sauce. Break it up as it cooks, then stop once it's just cooked through.
Penne or rigatoni
Short tube shapes work well here because they catch the sauce and cheese between the layers. Use white high fiber penne or rigatoni, or another similar pasta.
Ricotta cheese
The ricotta goes into the layers in dollops. You can leave those pockets as they are, or gently swirl them into the sauce as you assemble the dish.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 6. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 8 steps completeMake room for Baked Ziti with Italian Turkey Sausage
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
The last little job
Bake it covered until the dish is bubbly. If you want a browned top, uncover it and broil briefly, watching closely since it only needs 1-2 minutes.
A little more help as you go
Grease the dish first
Lightly greasing the 9x13" baking dish helps with serving later, especially around the cheesy edges. Do it after the oven is heating so assembly can move along.
Oil the drained pasta
After draining, toss the pasta with oil so it doesn't clump while the sauce and baking dish are ready. That makes the layers easier to spread evenly.
A few questions you might have
Should the sausage be browned deeply?
The recipe only calls for cooking it until just cooked. Since it bakes again with the sauce and cheese, focus on crumbling it well and getting it cooked through.
Do I need to mix the ricotta into the sauce before layering?
No. Add it in dollops as you layer. If you like, you can swirl it into the sauce right in the dish, but it doesn't need to be mixed separately.
Why does sauce go on the bottom before the pasta?
That first thin layer keeps the pasta from sitting directly on the greased dish and starts the layers with moisture underneath.
Can I skip the broil at the end?
Yes. The broil is optional. Once the covered bake is bubbly, the dish is cooked; broiling is just for a little extra color on top.
When do I preheat the oven?
Preheat to 375 degrees after the sauce is made and while you're getting the baking dish ready. The pasta and layers come together before it goes in to bake.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: thereciperebel.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
