Creamy Million Dollar Baked Ziti with Four Cheeses (Print version)

Creamy million dollar baked ziti with four cheeses, Italian sausage, and marinara. A rich make-ahead casserole for family dinners.

# Ingredients:

For the pasta and sauce

01 - 1 lb (450 g) dry ziti pasta
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 lb (450 g) Italian sausage or ground beef
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 (24 oz/680 g) jars marinara sauce
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For the cheese layer

09 - 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - 15 oz (425 g) whole milk ricotta cheese, drained if watery
12 - 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream
13 - 3 cups (300 g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese, divided
14 - 1 cup (100 g) grated Parmesan cheese

To finish

15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or basil

# Instructions:

01 - Cook the ziti in salted water until it is two minutes shy of al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage and onion, breaking the meat into crumbles, until no longer pink. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add both jars of marinara sauce, salt, and pepper. Simmer gently for 10 minutes.
03 - Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. Blend in the eggs, then stir in the ricotta, sour cream, 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella, parmesan, salt, and pepper until fully combined.
04 - Stir 1 cup of the meat sauce into the cheese mixture until smooth. Fold in the cooked pasta gently until every tube is evenly coated.
05 - Transfer the pasta mixture to a greased 9x13 inch baking dish and spread it evenly. Pour the remaining meat sauce over the top and scatter the remaining 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese.
06 - Cover the dish with lightly greased foil. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown.
07 - Let the baked ziti rest for 10 minutes before serving. Top with chopped parsley or basil.

# Good to know:

01 - Let the dish rest 10 minutes before serving for clean slices.
02 - Use a 9x13-inch baking dish.

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