Creamy Sausage Baked Ziti “White Baked Ziti” Recipe
Updated May 21, 2025, Published Sep 14, 2021
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This creamy sausage baked ziti recipe “white ziti” is rich and comforting and loved by ALL! I call this “white” baked ziti since it is made with cream sauce instead of red sauce.
Here is a warm and comforting meal that will satisfy your taste buds as the weather changes and temperatures drop.
More Italian comfort food recipes: Leftover Ham Recipes- Baked Ham and Cheese Pasta, BEST Italian Beef Short Rib Ragu, Stuffed Lumaconi Pasta Recipe with Ricotta and Sausage, and Lasagna Bolognese.
Creamy Sausage Baked Ziti “White Baked Ziti”
Why you will love this recipe
You will love the ziti pasta with the sweet and mild Italian sausage with hints of fennel, flavored with fresh sage, drowned in a beautiful cream sauce, then topped with shredded mozzarella cheese, and a Parmigiano bread crumb mixture that is all baked until bubbly perfection.
Yes, this rich meal is a bit of a savory treat- so what? Life is too short to not enjoy every meal.
You will also love this Authentic Italian Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe, Italian Sausage Meatballs, and Leftover Pot Roast Casserole Recipe.
Table of Contents
- Creamy Sausage Baked Ziti “White Baked Ziti”
- Simple Ingredients
- How to make Creamy Sausage Baked Ziti Recipe “White Baked Ziti” Step-by-Step Photos
- Baked Ziti Italian Comfort Food
- The Best Creamy Sausage Baked Ziti Recipe “White Baked Ziti”
- Variations
- Is Baked Ziti American or Italian?
- How long does it take to bake “baked ziti”?
- How long should ziti rest?
- What does “Ziti” mean in Italian?
- What to Serve with Creamy Sausage Baked Ziti
- Can I make it ahead of time?
- How to freeze baked ziti
- FAQ’s
- Creamy Sausage Baked Ziti “White Baked Ziti” Recipe
Simple Ingredients
- Ziti pasta (penne or rotini can also work)
- Onion
- Sage
- Mild Italian sausage
- Heavy cream
- Bread crumbs
- Hint of nutmeg
- Parmigiano
- Shredded mozzarella
How to make Creamy Sausage Baked Ziti Recipe “White Baked Ziti” Step-by-Step Photos
The process of making this pasta casserole is simple and easy!
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Grease a 9×13 in glass or oven-safe pan with butter, and 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 the 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 the skillet with creamy sausage. Stir to combine.
- Add the creamy sausage ziti to the prepared baking dish and top with shredded mozzarella and the Parmigiano and breadcrumb mixture. Pour the remaining 1/4 cup of 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!)
Instructions- Step-by-step photos
Baked Ziti Italian Comfort Food
This Creamy Sausage Baked Ziti “White Baked Ziti” is a meal worth adding to your fall and winter menu. If you can believe it, this meal is a much lighter version than most baked ziti recipes since it isn’t covered inside and out with pounds of cheese.
You know what? It is actually more luxurious and enjoyable this way. Wait until you try it! Run to make this recipe.
I promise you will come back to make it again. The touch of spinach greens add a fresh touch that makes it even a little “extra extra”. Get ready to dive head first into this meal!
If you like these flavors be sure to try this Italian sausage and peppers recipe.
The Best Creamy Sausage Baked Ziti Recipe “White Baked Ziti”
This baked ziti recipe is slightly different from most American-style baked ziti recipes. Mainly, it doesn’t have 100 lbs of shredded cheese in the recipe or as a topping.
This delicious creamy sausage baked ziti is rich from the cream and sausage and topping of aged parmigiano cheese and a bit of shredded mozzarella.
The cream coats the pasta and the sausage gets trapped inside the ziti pasta to create the perfect bite!
The gorgeous Parmigiano topping (hint: I add a few bread crumbs for crunch) gives it the perfect cheesy coat without being overbearing.
We call this “white” baked ziti since it doesn’t have a typical ragu meat sauce.
Trust me when I say, you won’t miss all that meat and cheese. These simple and delicate flavors stretch a long way to achieve a perfect balance of flavors and texture. I can’t wait for you to try this! This meal is absolutely decadent and delicious!
Variations
This recipe is delicious as it is, but if you want to add some greens, you can add these additions when cooking the onions:
- 1-2 cups (depending on how much of the greens you like) of fresh spinach or arugula
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
It’s delicious, both with and without the green additions!
More Italian sausage recipes: Broccoli Pasta with Sausage Recipe (Italian), Orecchiette with Sausage Peppers and Arugula (video), and Italian Sheet Pan Sausage, Potatoes, and Tomatoes.
Is Baked Ziti American or Italian?
Traditionally, Americans make baked ziti with lots of cheese and loads of meat- a developed Italian- American recipe.
As you might know, baked ziti is a pasta casserole-type dish baked with various other ingredients, mostly red tomato sauces, cheese, meat, and vegetables such as mushrooms, peppers, and onions.
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.
Another variation of this recipe that you will love is our meatless baked ziti.
How long does it take to bake “baked ziti”?
This baked ziti recipe doesn’t require a lot of baking time. You are only baking it to get the cream to bubble and the cheese topping to crisp.
The pasta is cooked separately and with the sauce before baking. Read more about how to make the perfect pasta every time!
How long should ziti rest?
I know you want to dig into that hot bubbly delicious pasta casserole immediately! Trust me; it is worth the extra ten minutes of rest time.
All the bubbly creamy juices need time to settle and bind together to make the dish extra tasty.
Allowing the dish to settle for five to ten minutes after cooking will allow the sauce to penetrate into every corner of your pasta bake.
What does “Ziti” mean in Italian?
In Italian, it means “Macaroni of the bride”.
Ziti is short for maccheroni di zita, or “macaroni of the bride.” This comes from ziti’s popularity as part of a wedding buffet, particularly in Sicily and Southern Italy.
Originating in the Campania region of Italy ziti is shaped into a long, wide tube that works perfectly l with meat and cream-based sauces.
What to Serve with Creamy Sausage Baked Ziti
This homemade baked ziti recipe is filling and delicious! For sides, I recommend a few light dishes. Start with an Italian Fennel, Citrus, Pomegranate, and Salad, and serve with a side of Fast Italian No Knead Ciabatta Bread.
Don’t forget dessert! Classic Italian Tiramisu Recipe (Authentic) or Best Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust!
Read What to Serve with Italian Sausage for more ideas on what to serve with recipes with Italian sausage!
Can I make it ahead of time?
If you need to make it a day before baking, refrigerate and cover the assembled ziti meal. Add about 10 minutes to the baking time if baking a refrigerated pan of ziti.
If you assemble and bake the ziti ahead of time, it keeps in the fridge for about three days. To keep it longer, freeze it and reheat it before serving.
Leftover baked ziti tastes even better the next day. Pasta should not be left to sit out in the open uncovered for more than two hours. Make sure to store your leftovers in an airtight container after your meal!
How to freeze baked ziti
Before it’s baked.
Freezing the prepared baked ziti before it is baked helps maintain texture and prevents it from getting too soggy.
After assembling the baked ziti in an oven-safe pan, wrap the top with plastic wrap and aluminum foil.
When you’re ready to use your frozen and assembled ziti, transfer it to the refrigerator and let it defrost overnight. You can also cook it frozen, but you will need to add oven cooking time.
To bake, simply take it out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes while your oven preheats. Bake as directed and Pronto! Baked Ziti is ready!
After it’s baked.
Make sure your baked ziti cools before freezing it. You can freeze the large part that is left over or break it up into individual servings first.
You will want to wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and place them in freezer storage bags before freezing.
FAQ’s
This easy pasta casserole can last for up to 3 months in the freezer if it’s tightly packaged. For best results, freeze the assembled casserole before baking it. You can also freeze it after it is baked as leftovers to reheat.
To reheat the large or individual slices- remove the ziti’s freezer wrappings, cover the top with foil and bake until heated through. You can also microwave it. Lunch or dinner is ready on a busy day.
This “white baked ziti” is a classic comfort food meal everyone loves. What’s not to love about a warm and creamy pasta dish casserole?
From my Cucina to Your Table. Mangia! Mangia! (Eat!)
Made with Amore, Elena
More Delicious Recipes for YOU:
- Authentic Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna (Vegetarian)
- Best Italian-Style Chili Recipe
- Polenta and Mushrooms (with sage and butter)
- Perfect Roast Chicken with Citrus and Fennel
- SIMPLE Mashed Potatoes (dairy-free) and Caramelized Onions
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Have you checked out my NEW CBE PRODUCTS? Take a look at the 2-in-1 cutting and charcuterie board, gorgeous apron, and unique pasta server that you absolutely need. The wood products are all handmade in Salt Lake City, Utah. They make great gifts as well!
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Creamy Sausage Baked Ziti “White Baked Ziti”
Ingredients
- 1 pound ziti pasta, 453 g
- 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!)
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!