This recipe for the best Baked Ziti is a huge favorite! Italian sausage marinara, cottage cheese, and fresh basil combine to make this decadent casserole. The best part is the mozzarella that is chopped into chunks instead of shredded. They melt into pools of cheesy glory. We’ve always called it “Postpartum Ziti” because it makes a TON and is perfect for bringing to new moms! Originally published January 18, 2012.
Table of Contents
- Back to the present
- Why you’ll love this Ziti Recipe
- Ingredients for Baked Ziti with Cottage Cheese
- How to make the Best Baked Ziti
- Best Baked Ziti Recipe Tips
- Baked Ziti Recipe variations and substitutions
- How to serve Baked Ziti with Sausage
- How to store this Ziti Recipe
- More casseroles that you are going to love!
- The Best Baked Ziti with Cottage Cheese (Postpartum Ziti) Recipe
This post was originally published in 2012. Here’s a flashback:
So do you ever have those days where you just cannot wake up, no matter what you do? Today was one of those days. I got up at 6:30, drove to the gym, ran for a half hour, drove back, and I still felt like I was sleep walking. (Which is perhaps why I nearly crashed on the way home. If you live in my town, consider yourself warned.)
Now as I write this, Charlotte [11 months] is eating her extremely healthy blueberry yogurt multigrain pancake that I made for her. Actually she is methodically tearing it up into pieces and dropping them on the floor with relish, while looking me in the eye with a face that says Go ahead. Stop me. I can’t really blame her. Eric had basically the same reaction. I thought they were delicious.
Things that I did today: drank rancid orange juice. Spilled yogurt on myself. Twice. (Did I mention I was tired?) Cleaned up a Charlotte mess. Twice. (because she has a diaper rash so I put her to bed without a diaper. Have I told you lately that I’m a genius?) Caught my hand on my iPod cord while running, causing said iPod to fly off the treadmill tray and trip me. Rearranged the bobby pin in my hair only to drop said pin and see it get shot 2 feet behind me after the ride of its life on the treadmill. People must look at me flailing around on the treadmill trying not to get killed and think to themselves, Wow. She must not come here very often. Which is true.
We had some friends back in Indiana who would bring this amazing ziti to new moms, hence the name Postpartum Ziti. It is amazingly delicious and makes a ton. [photo from 2012]
Back to the present
Hi it’s me, Karen from 2019! It’s been almost 8 years, and I still think this is the best baked Ziti recipe ever! Also I need to come clean about the fact that nothing has changed in the gym department since writing this post.
I don’t even have a gym membership right now (pregnant people don’t have to exercise, you know that right? Gosh I’m JOKING), but I did up until a few months ago, and I’m still just as much of an idiot when exercising in public. (Remember when I thought the other half of the gym was a wall of mirrors? Yeah.)
Why you’ll love this Ziti Recipe
We’ve all had a lackluster pasta bake before. Not enough sauce, dried out noodles, cries of “where’s the cheese?” (that would be me, crying about a lack of cheese). What was supposed to be an easy, crowd-pleasing dinner languishes in its pan until it gets thrown away. Don’t let this tragedy happen to you! This ziti rights all the wrongs and makes a ton. It’s got plenty of sauce to keep the noodles tender, three kinds of cheese, and fresh basil.
I love taking this meal to new parents because it’s the perfect thing to heat up at 2AM when your baby’s awake and you’re starving. It’s also ideal for kids, picky relatives in town, church potlucks, or ravenous teenagers.
Ingredients for Baked Ziti with Cottage Cheese
Here’s a quick list of everything you’ll need to make this baked ziti recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for a complete list.
- ziti, or penne/rigatoni if you can’t find ziti
- olive oil
- mild Italian sausage
- garlic
- dried oregano
- dried basil
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- tomato sauce
- diced tomatoes
- sugar
- fresh basil
- heavy whipping cream
- cornstarch
- eggs
- cottage cheese
- grated Parmesan cheese
- mozzarella cheese (block, not shredded)
How to make the Best Baked Ziti
Here’s how to take your Baked Ziti from ho-hum to Oh-my-gosh-this-is-amazing.
Boil up some ziti in a large pot of salted water. If you can’t find ziti at the store (I feel like it’s hard to find at some stores??) Use penne pasta, rigatoni, or anything else that looks like a tube. Beat a couple eggs and combine with cottage cheese and a good deal of Parmesan. If you would rather use ricotta cheese instead of cottage cheese, I’m sure it would work great, but for this recipe I love cottage cheese. And that’s coming from a serious ricotta lover.
Make your easy homemade marinara sauce, starting out with Italian sausage and tons of garlic. I love that you don’t have to chop an onion for this recipe. You won’t miss it, I promise. Don’t skip the fresh basil, if possible! It gives the sauce this unbeatable fresh flavor. Sub the 1/2 cup basil with 1 tablespoons dried basil, if you don’t have any.
Chop up your mozzarella and set aside and stir some into the cottage cheese mixture. The chunks of cheese in this recipe are what set it apart! Put that cheese grater down!
Once you’ve thickened up your cream, add the cottage cheese mixture and stir in all that pasta. You are going to want to dive in with a fork at this point, but hold off, I promise it’s even better once it’s come out of the oven.
Add the pasta mixture to a large casserole dish and pour the remaining red sauce on top of the pasta then add even more mozzarella and parmesan. Don’t you love how we don’t have to do all those layers like a lasagna?? So easy.
Bake to perfection!
Best Baked Ziti Recipe Tips
Here’s how to make a perfect baked ziti, every time.
- Don’t overcook your pasta. The ziti noodles will continue cooking as they bake in the oven, so don’t worry if you’ve only cooked it the recommended 5-7 minutes and the noodles seem too firm. We’re not done yet!
- Drizzle your pasta with a little oil. This keeps the pasta from sticking together so it can easily mix with the sauce, cheese, and sausage.
- Drain the fat from your sausage. I know it’s an extra step, but trust me, you don’t want all that fat turning your perfect ziti into a soggy, greasy mess.
- Grease your foil. If you don’t, the melting cheese will stick to the foil and get ripped off the top of the casserole, tragic!!
Baked Ziti Recipe variations and substitutions
I love this easy baked ziti recipe just the way it is but you can totally adapt it to your liking. Here are a few ideas!
- Make it vegetarian. Skip the sausage. No need to substitute anything, although you could do plant based “sausage” crumbles if you want.
- Sub a different cheese. Don’t be afraid to sub some pepper jack for the mozzarella, or plain monterey jack, or any melty cheese you enjoy.
- Use your favorite pasta. If you don’t have ziti (or can’t find it) I recommend trying penne or rigatoni. However, there’s no reason you can’t use any short pasta you have in the pantry (farfalle, for example!).
How to serve Baked Ziti with Sausage
If I’m taking this ziti to someone, I love grabbing a loaf of french bread and a bagged salad at the grocery store on my way over. EASY. Not opposed to doing that for myself either!
This is still one of my favorite meals to bring to new moms (it will always be called Postpartum Ziti at our house, haha), or to any family in need. It is tasty and very filling, feeds a ton of people, and freezes well! Plus who can say no to a baked ziti casserole?? It’s irresistible!
Bring it with a salad kit from the produce section at the store and some French bread from the deli and call it good. The simpler I keep meals that I bring other families, the more likely I am to do it again next time (instead of categorizing it in my brain as “a ton of work” it’s just “a casserole and some food from the store” which is much more approachable in my mind.) If you really want to go all out you can make The Best Garlic Bread of Your Life, which despite being the best ever is actually quite easy to make.
If you are bringing a meal to a smaller family, split the casserole between two 8 inch square pans and feed your family AND theirs. Yesss!!
Here’s a whole post I wrote on how to bring a meal to a friend with so many amazing ideas I sourced from friends and readers to make this whole “take a meal” thing easier (and here’s the sister post with 12 ideas for what to take).
If you’re serving this ziti at home as part of a larger meal, you can definitely make it special with homemade salad or bread. Here are some of my favorites!
Green Goddess Salad << so herby, creamy, and refreshing! Perfect with pasta
Greek Salad with Feta << I love Greek flavors, do you??
Apple Gorgonzola Salad (Buca di Beppo Copycat) << just like the restaurant!
The Best Garlic Bread << this might steal the show from the ziti. It’s THAT good
Garlic Knots << get ready for the oohs and aahs, these are so gorgeous!
Garlic and Rosemary Skillet Bread << unique, delicious bread in a cast iron pan
How to store this Ziti Recipe
I put the lid right on my Pyrex and stuck this in the fridge. It’s good for 3-4 days, and if you have leftovers (or want to make an entire casserole in advance) you can freeze them. Wrap tightly with tinfoil, then label so you know what’s up later. If you have individual pieces, it’s pretty easy to wrap them in plastic wrap and then put them in a ziplock. Pull one out as needed and reheat in the microwave. The entire casserole can be reheated at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
More casseroles that you are going to love!
Grandma Georgia’s Chicken and Rice Casserole >> pure comfort food straight from my grandma
Easy Ravioli Lasagna: >> perfect for busy weeknights! It’s way faster than today’s ziti recipe.
Classic Shepherd’s Pie Recipe with Crispy Cheddar Topping >> this is another casserole that can feed an army. It’s so good!
Easy Cheesy Asparagus Tortellini Bake >> this takes about 15 minutes to throw together!
Chicken Crepes with Jalapeno Cheese >> this is my mom’s recipe. It’s so decadent and delicious!
Old Fashioned Lasagna >> can’t beat the classic.
Aunt Shirley’s Creamy Chicken Enchiladas >> dreamy creamy Mexican food that is not really Mexican. Yum.
Chicken Pot Pie with Flaky Biscuit Topping >> a casserole version of chicken pot pie, with biscuits on top! So good.
White Lasagna with Chicken and Pesto >> pesto + lasagna?? yes please!!
Poblano, Corn, and Zucchini Lasagna >> this is one of the best vegetarian meals I’ve ever had.
Spinach and Ravioli Lasagna from Lemons for Lulu
Penne Pasta Bake from Taste and Tell
Country Style Rigatoni from Honey and Birch
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The Best Baked Ziti with Cottage Cheese (Postpartum Ziti)
Ingredients
- 1 pound ziti, or penne/rigatoni if you can’t find ziti
- olive oil
For the red sauce
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage
- 5 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
For the cream
- 1 cup heavy cream, cold
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
For the cottage cheese mixture
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 pound cottage cheese
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, chopped into 1/4 inch cubes
To top casserole
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, chopped into 1/4 inch cubes
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- more chopped basil, to garnish after baking
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a deep 9×13 inch casserole dish with nonstick spray, focusing on the edges.
- Cook the pasta. Fill a 3 quart pot with water and add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add 1 pound ziti (or other tubular pasta, if you can’t find ziti.) Cook until just shy of al dente, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain pasta into a colander and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil so that it doesn’t stick together. Stir to distribute oil. Set aside. Save the pot that you boiled the pasta in!
- Meanwhile, make the red sauce. In a large skillet, crumble and cook 1 pound Italian sausage over medium high heat until thoroughly cooked and no longer pink, it should take about 5 minutes. Drain and discard the fat. (I usually turn off the heat while draining the fat)
- Once the fat is drained (turn the heat back to medium high and wait until the pan is hot again), add 5 cloves of minced garlic. It should be somewhere between 1 and 2 tablespoons, you can adjust this amount to taste.
- Add the spices: 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Saute the garlic and spices with the sausage for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the can of tomato sauce and can of diced tomatoes. Lower the heat to medium and cook until the mixture bubbles, then turn to medium low and simmer for about 10 minutes to marry all those flavors a bit.
- Take the skillet off the heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 cup fresh chopped basil.
- Thicken the cream: In the now-empty pot that you boiled the pasta in, add 1 cup cold heavy cream. Whisk in 1 teaspoon cornstarch until there are no lumps at all. Set the pot over medium heat and bring to a very low simmer, stirring frequently. The mixture should be thickened in about 3-4 minutes.
- For the cottage cheese mixture: Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat 2 eggs well. Add 1 pound cottage cheese and combine well. Stir in 1 cup Parmesan cheese and 1 cup cubed mozzarella.
- Once the cream has thickened, remove from heat and stir in the cottage cheese mixture. Add 1 cup of the red sauce and stir together.
- Add the drained pasta to the pot with the cottage cheese and stir to combine.
- Transfer all the pasta to the prepared deep 9×13 inch pan.
- Spread the remaining red sauce evenly on top of the pasta.
- Top the casserole with 1 cup chopped mozzarella cheese and sprinkle evenly with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
- Spray a sheet of foil with nonstick spray and cover the casserole. (If you don’t grease the foil, it will stick to the cheese!)
- If your casserole is very full, place on a baking sheet in case it bubbles over.
- Bake the covered casserole at 375 for 25 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for another 25 minutes.
- If you would like to brown the cheese even more, move your oven rack to the highest position and broil for 1-2 minutes. Don’t walk away!
- Let the baked ziti sit for about 10 minutes before digging in.
- Garnish with fresh chopped basil.
I made this recipe ahead of time and it came out perfect. I followed the directions exactly as written except I used 2 cans of 15 oz sauce instead of one 28 ounce. I fully cooked The casserole, allowed it to cool then froze it. I took it out of the freezer 24 hours before my party and placed it in the fridge. I fully cooked it again for about an hour. It was amazing. I received many compliments on it. This recipe is definitely a keeper. I’ve been making baked ziti for years and this is the best one I’ve ever made. The cottage cheese is so much better than the ricotta and the sauce was excellent.
So glad to hear you loved it Sally! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review – it means a lot :-)
This ziti is a family favorite, but during the holidays I have to make a ton. I want to try the freezing method, but my only question is do you fully cook it before freezing? It just seems like a lot of cooking if you cook it before then cook it for that long once it’s thawed. Thank you!!
Hi Michelle! I know it seems like a lot of cooking time, but the real purpose of the lengthy cook time after freezing it is to re-warm it. You’ll notice in the recipe notes that the reheating time is different for baking from frozen and from defrosted in the fridge overnight. Either way, feel free to check before the full reheating time has passed. So glad to hear this is a family favorite for you – thanks for taking the time to comment!
I’ve tried dozens and dozens of baked pasta recipes over the years in search of the perfect one.
I tried this recipe for dinner and … This! Is! It! 👏 Absolute perfection. 😋 👍 ♥️ This is going in the permanent file.
The only change I made was to use ground beef instead of Italian sausage.
This is the best ziti I’ve ever had or made! It is a pain to make and next time I’ll definitely have all of the ingredients prepared and ready before starting, but completely worth it. If people don’t care for sausage, I think this would work with ground beef, but it’s really amazing as is. I sent the recipe to my brothers right after dinner. Thank you for this!
So good!!! This seriously hit the spot! I was a little wary of all the different components but everything came together without fuss (on par with but easier than lasagna). Yum-I kept snitching more bites! Thanks for the recipe! Will definitely be making again
Followed the recipe to a T, I am a lasagna pro but never made Ziti. This dish was incredible! Thank you! 👌
When cooking from freezer, after thawed 24 hours, do you still cook in oven for 50 min total?
Hello Doreen! Yes, that’s right. The thawed casserole should be cooked for 50 minutes total. Enjoy!
I guess what I meant to ask was, do I bake it before freezing it? Thank you so much! I’ve made this many times (without freezing lol) and it’s delicious!
Hi Doreen
I’ve read your comment about the ziti and freezing. Did you end up baking it first before freezing or freezing when in it was just combined?
I want to make it for Christmas Eve ahead of time
I have made this for two years now and it is my favorite recipe recipe to!
Thanks Amanda
I made this it was delicious, I used ricotta instead of cottage cheese. I got wonderful feedback from my Brother and his family they loved it. I will be making it again
I made this for dinner tonight and it was absolutely amazing. Everyone (but one) loved it! My picky eater didn’t try it but loved the smell. Maybe next time she’ll try it. My husband even went back for seconds and he hardly ever gets seconds! Thank you so much for sharing!
Okay Nicole that is kind of hilarious that she loved the smell but didn’t want to try it 😂 baby steps!! lol. So glad it was a hit, thank you so much for taking the time to review! So helpful 💕
This was amazing! I made it for my daughters birthday dinner and the whole family loved it! It’s definitely a keeper. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe❤️
I made this dish for the first time while my daughter and her family were visiting during the holidays. I baked it in a deep dish lasagna pan. It was a huge hit with everyone ! This meal will be in demand for future family get togethers!
While this baked ziti does take some preparation, it is definitely worth the effort! I made the recipe as written, minus the fresh basil since I did not have it on hand. Next time I will double the sauce and mix at least half of it in with the cheese mixture and pasta before putting it in the pan – – we like a little more sauce with our pasta. While I am not a big fan of cottage cheese, I would have not known it was in the recipe had I not been the one to make it. I will probably cook the sauce on low in a crockpot for a few hours to really blend the flavors. We baked half and froze the other half, before baking, to enjoy later.
Just made the Baked Ziti.. it is delicious!! My husband loved it. I’ve made variations in the past but this is the best one.. the cottage cheese mixture makes all the difference! 😋
This really is THE BEST! Made this tonight with ground beef instead of sausage and sour cream instead of cottage cheese (only because i I accidentally purchased cottage cheese with pineapple in it). It was scrumptious. I’m already excited about eating the leftovers. Thanks for a great recipe.
Making this today but going to split it into 2 pans to bring as dinner for someone else. Would it bake at the same temp for the same duration? Looks delish!
Hi Patti! That’s a great idea. And yes, same temp, but I would check it a few minutes earlier than the recipe says. When it’s bubbly and starting to brown on top, it’s done!