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Bring your baked ziti up a notch with Italian sausage and spinach. Baked Ziti with sausage and spinach is a dish your family will love, and one that is easy to share with others.
Today’s recipe is always a family favorite. And not just my family! I have taken this dish to lots of family’s when someone was sick or had a new baby and it is always a big hit. After they enjoy their dinner, they always request the recipe. It is also a delicious dish to make for company.
How to Make Baked Ziti with Sausage
The sauce for the baked ziti can be made a day ahead. You start by cooking the sausage with chopped garlic and onion until it is cooked through. Then you add the tomatoes, juice and all, and simmer until it begins to thicken slightly. Then you add the pesto and salt and pepper to taste.
In a bowl, combine the cooked pasta and cheese. Then stir in the warm tomato sauce and pour it into a greased 9×13 pan. Sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top and it is ready to go into the oven.
The addition of spinach and pesto makes this a little unique as far as baked ziti dishes go. The pesto gives it a wonderful flavor and the spinach balances out the meal nicely.
You will love how easy it is to make this delicious baked ziti. Double the recipe and share with a neighbor. They will love it too.
If you love baked ziti, check out more of my favorite easy pasta dishes:
Slow Cooker Garlic Chicken Pasta
Baked Ziti with Sausage Recipe
Baked Ziti with Sausage and Spinach
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausages
- 1/2 C chopped onion
- 3 large garlic cloves chopped
- 1 28- ounce can diced peeled tomatoes
- 1/4 C pesto
- 10 ounces ziti or penne pasta about 3 cups, freshly cooked
- 4 cups or hand fulls of baby spinach leaves
- 6 ounces grated or cubed mozzarella cheese
- 1 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook sausage, onion and garlic until sausage is cooked through
- Add tomatoes with juices
- Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes
- Add pesto
- Season sauce with salt and pepper
- You can prepare up to this point a day ahead and refrigerate
- Bring mixture back to simmer before continuing
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Lightly oil 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish.
- Combine pasta, spinach, mozzarella and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese in large bowl.
- Stir in warm hot tomato mixture.
- Place in prepared baking dish
- Sprinkle remaining 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese over
- Bake until sauce bubbles and cheeses melt, about 30 minutes
Nutrition Facts:
Michelle says
I make this all the time without the pesto and it’s awesome. My whole family loves it.
Ally says
My go-to ziti recipe!! It’s so much better than the average baked ziti. That pesto just makes this insanely yummy. Everyone was asking for the recipe
Tammy says
This looks soooo delicious. Would I be able to use diced tomatoes instead of peeled one’s.
Thanks so much. Will definently be making this soon.
Michelle says
I am not much of a cook but this recipe sounded so good, I tried it. It was delicious! Very easy to follow recipe and all of the yummy spinach makes it nutritionally redeemable. Thanks, Leigh Anne!
Megan @ Our Pinteresting Family says
Just had this for dinner. It was fantastic.