Creamy Sausage Baked Ziti “White Baked Ziti” Recipe
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This Creamy Sausage Baked Ziti “White Baked Ziti” Recipe is rich and full of flavor from sweet Italian sausage, fresh sage, and a hint of nutmeg. The pasta is coated in a cream sauce, topped with mozzarella and a Parmigiano breadcrumb mixture, then baked until golden and bubbly. Ready in about 40 minutes, this is a comforting pasta casserole made for sharing.
Pair with a light Pear Gorgonzola Salad and slice of No Knead Crusty Bread.
Quick Look: Creamy Sausage Baked Ziti
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Servings: 8
- Dietary Info: Can be made with gluten-free pasta
- Method: Stovetop sauce and pasta, finished in the oven
- Technique: Cook the sausage and aromatics, combine with cream and pasta, then bake with cheese and breadcrumbs until bubbly
- Flavor/Texture: Creamy, savory, cheesy, with a lightly crisp topping
A Different Kind of Baked Ziti
This baked ziti is a little different from most American-style versions, and that’s exactly why I love it. You won’t find 100 pounds of shredded cheese here! Instead, the cream and sausage bring richness to the pasta, with aged Parmigiano and just enough mozzarella to give it that cheesy finish.
I especially love how the cream coats every piece of pasta while little bits of sausage nestle inside the ziti, giving you the perfect bite. And the Parmigiano topping, with a few breadcrumbs mixed in for crunch, creates a gorgeous golden coating without feeling too heavy.
We call this “white” baked ziti because there’s no traditional Ragu Meat Sauce. The flavors are rich and comforting, but still balanced, and I think you’ll be surprised by how much flavor you can get without piling on all that meat and cheese. This is one of those baked pasta dishes I can’t wait for you to try!
You will also love this Fettuccine Alfredo, Italian Sausage Meatballs, and Ham and Noodle Casserole.
Made With Amore,
“So so good! Made this for us and another family and we all LOVED it! The crust that forms on this whole cooking should win awards! Definitely will be making this again and again.”
– J Stevens
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
This white baked ziti gets its flavor from a few simple ingredients.
- Ziti Pasta: The classic tube-shaped pasta holds onto the creamy sauce and sausage as it bakes.
- Sweet Italian Sausage: Mild sausage with hints of fennel adds savory flavor throughout the dish.
- Fresh Sage: Fresh sage gives the cream sauce an aromatic flavor that pairs well with the sausage.
- Heavy Cream: Cream coats the pasta and creates the rich white sauce.
- Parmigiano and Breadcrumbs: This mixture creates the golden topping that adds a little crunch to the creamy pasta.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Add Spinach or Arugula: Stir in 1–2 cups of fresh spinach or arugula when cooking the onions. Try my Spinach Manicotti Recipe with Ricotta!
- Add Peas: Stir in ½ cup frozen peas when cooking the onions. You’ll also love this Creamy Pasta with Pancetta and Peas.
- Change the Pasta: Penne or rotini can be used in place of ziti.
How to Make White Baked Ziti With Sausage
The pasta and creamy sausage mixture are prepared before baking, so the oven can focus on bringing everything together and creating that golden, bubbly topping. Follow the step-by step photos and see the recipe card at the bottom for a printable version.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter a 9×13-inch glass or oven-safe baking dish, then combine the Parmigiano and breadcrumbs in a small bowl.
- Cook the sweet Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned, crumbly, and no longer pink, about 10–15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In the same skillet, cook the chopped onion with nutmeg and fresh sage until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream.
- Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water before draining.
- Add the hot pasta and reserved pasta water to the skillet with the creamy sausage mixture and stir to combine.
- Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with shredded mozzarella and the Parmigiano-breadcrumb mixture, then pour the remaining ¼ cup cream evenly over the top.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly. Let the ziti rest for 5–10 minutes, then sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.
White Baked Ziti FAQs
The dish is considered a hybrid of Italian and American cuisines, basically an Americanized variety of a typical Italian dish, Pasta al Forno, which is commonly compared to baked ziti. This recipe is called “white baked ziti” since we leave out the red sauce and traditional beef meat.
Let the baked ziti rest for 5–10 minutes after baking. This gives the creamy sauce time to settle into the pasta before serving.
Make Ahead: Assemble the baked ziti up to one day ahead, cover, and refrigerate until ready to bake. If baking directly from the refrigerator, add about 10 minutes to the baking time.
Storage: Store leftover baked ziti covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or larger portions in the oven until warmed through.
Freezing Before Baking: Assemble the ziti in a freezer-safe baking dish and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking, then let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes while the oven preheats. Bake as directed, adding extra time if needed.
Freezing After Baking: Let the baked ziti cool completely, then freeze the whole casserole or individual portions in airtight freezer-safe containers or tightly wrapped portions. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat until hot throughout.
Serving Suggestions
This creamy baked ziti is filling on its own, so I like to balance the meal with something fresh and light. Serve it with a Famous La Scala Chopped Salad, Parmesan Roasted Broccoli, or Roasted Asparagus, then add No Knead Italian Ciabatta Bread for dipping. For dessert, Lemon Crinkle Cookies or Ricotta Pie makes a lovely finish.
My Pro Tips
Recipe Tips
- Cook the ziti until al dente. The pasta continues cooking when it goes into the oven.
- Reserve the pasta water. The ¼ cup of pasta water is added to the creamy sausage mixture before baking.
- Drain excess sausage fat or liquid if needed. Sausage can vary by brand, so drain some off if there is a lot in the skillet.
- Don’t skip the breadcrumb topping. The Parmigiano and breadcrumbs create the golden crust that gives the creamy pasta some texture.
- Let the ziti rest before serving. Those 5–10 minutes give the sauce time to settle into the pasta.
More Baked Pasta Recipes
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Creamy Sausage Baked Ziti “White Baked Ziti”
Ingredients
- 1 pound ziti pasta
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
- 1 teaspoon fresh sage, finely chopped
- ½ white or yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup freshly grated parmigiano cheese
- ¼ cup bread crumbs
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 cups heavy cream , + 1/4 for pouring on top
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley for topping
- butter for greasing pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Grease a 9×13 in glass or oven safe pan with butter, set aside. In a small glass bowl combine parmigiano cheese and bread crumbs, stir to combine and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
- While waiting for the water to boil, cook the Italian sausage in a large skillet oven over medium-high heat until crumbly, browned, and no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Drain and set aside. In the same pan, on medium heat, stir in the onions, nutmeg, and sage; cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and add cream. Stir to combine.
- Add pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente directions. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water. Add hot pasta and reserved pasta water to skillet with creamy sausage. Stir to combine.
- Add the creamy sausage ziti to the prepared baking dish and top shredded mozzarella and the parmigiano and bread crumb mixture. Pour the remaining 1/4 cup cream evenly over the top.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving. Mangia! (Eat!)
Notes
- Pair with a light Pear Gorgonzola Salad and slice of No Knead Crusty Bread.
- Cook the ziti until al dente. The pasta continues cooking when it goes into the oven.
- Reserve the pasta water. The ¼ cup of pasta water is added to the creamy sausage mixture before baking.
- Drain excess sausage fat or liquid if needed. Sausage can vary by brand, so drain some off if there is a lot in the skillet.
- Don’t skip the breadcrumb topping. The Parmigiano and breadcrumbs create the golden crust that gives the creamy pasta some texture.
- Let the ziti rest before serving. Those 5–10 minutes give the sauce time to settle into the pasta.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Perfect dish, flavor packed, creamy & delightful
Happy you loved it!
So so good! Made this for us and another family and we all LOVED it! The crust that forms on this whole cooking should win awards! Lol Definitely will be making this again and again.
Yay! Happy you loved it!
Looks delicious! Can you making this vegetarian by eliminating the sausage? Anything to substitute or just leave out?
Yes! You can use a vegan meat substitute or mushrooms (small chopped).
Making this yet again so here to double my review – this is a serious favorite in our house! The perfect weekend comfort food meal. We do remix it just a bit depending on whatโs on hand, like shallots or hot italian sausage. Turns out perfect every time.
I LOVE that you love it as much as we do. We had it last night! Thanks for coming back to leave a review.
Will the sausage mixture look watery? Itโs not really creamy! Iโm assuming it absorbs a little into the pasta in the oven? Thanks!
Yes, it does absorb while cooking. If your sausage has a lot of water or fat you can drain some before mixing. This varies on the type of sausage and brand you use.
This recipe looks great! However, Iโm not too crazy using fatty sausages in any of my cookings. The question is, what other alternative meats should I replace the sausage?
I like to go to my butcher and ask them to grind the % lean I like. If that isn’t an option in your area, you can also use ground turkey. It is a delicious recipe!
Perfect Sunday dinner – minimal prep (and cleanup!) but indulgent, with plenty of leftovers to get us into the week. Thank you!
You are welcome! It is a favorite!