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Martha Stewart baked ziti with sausage and bechamel turns Italian sausage, ziti and three cheeses into a bubbly layered pasta bake in 1 hour 45 minutes. Save this easy weeknight dinner for summer family suppers, Sunday dinners or potlucks, because it's make-ahead friendly and feeds a crowd.
Pull the pasta out of the water 5 minutes before the package says, then rinse it under cool water. It finishes cooking in the oven, so skipping this gives you mushy, overcooked ziti.
Martha layers the pasta like a lasagna, with a nutmeg-scented bechamel between the sausage tomato sauce and the cheese. That white sauce keeps every bite creamy, so the bake stays moist instead of drying out like many versions online.
What you need for this recipe
Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven
It boils the ziti and later holds the bechamel, so you only wash one pot.
Buy on AmazonPyrex 9x13 glass baking dish
The layered pasta bakes in it until the top is browned and bubbly.
Buy on AmazonOXO 11-inch balloon whisk
It keeps the flour and milk smooth while the bechamel thickens.
Buy on AmazonPantry pick Parmigiano Reggiano wedges, aged 24 months
A real wedge grated fresh tastes nothing like the shaker kind.
Buy on AmazonShipping adds up. Try Prime free for 30 days for fast, free delivery.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Martha Stewart Baked Ziti with Sausage and Bechamel
Course: DinnerCuisine: American, ItalianDifficulty: Medium8
servings1
hour45
minutes720
kcalAl dente ziti soaks up a meaty tomato sauce, then gets layered with creamy bechamel and melty cheese. It bakes until browned in spots and bubbling at the edges.
Ingredients
1 (28-oz can) whole peeled tomatoes
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound sweet or spicy Italian sausage (or a combination), removed from casings
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 (15-oz. can) tomato sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound ziti or rigatoni
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/3 cup plus 1 ½ cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 5 ounces), divided, plus more for sprinkling
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus more whole leaves for serving
1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into ½-inch pieces and divided
Directions
- Make the sauce: Squeeze the whole peeled tomatoes by hand in a large bowl, then brown the sausage in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Simmer the tomatoes: Add the crushed tomatoes, the can of tomato sauce and 1/2 cup water, then season generously with salt and pepper. Simmer for about 20 minutes, skimming fat as needed, until the flavors meld.
- Cook the pasta: Preheat the oven to 425°F while you boil 1 pound ziti in salted water for 5 minutes less than the package says. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain and rinse the noodles under cool water to stop the cooking.
- Whisk the bechamel: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in the empty pot over medium heat, then whisk in 2 tablespoons flour for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly toasted. Slowly whisk in 2 1/2 cups milk, boil, then simmer 10 to 15 minutes until it looks like slightly thickened cream.
- Season the white sauce: Take the pot off the heat and stir in salt, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/3 cup Parmigiano. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface so no skin forms.
- Toss the pasta: Toss the pasta in a large bowl with 3 cups tomato sauce, 1/2 cup Parmigiano, 1/2 cup reserved pasta water and 1 cup chopped basil. Add up to 1 cup pasta water if the sauce is very thick, then season with salt and pepper.
- Build the first layer: Spread half the bechamel in the bottom of a 3-to-3 1/2-quart baking dish. Top it with half the pasta, 1 cup tomato sauce, half the mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmigiano.
- Add the top layer: Layer on the remaining pasta and 1 cup tomato sauce, then spoon the last of the bechamel evenly over the top. Finish with the remaining mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmigiano, a few spoons of tomato sauce and a sprinkle of extra Parmigiano.
- Bake and rest: Set the dish on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet to catch spills, then bake uncovered for about 30 minutes until browned in places and bubbly. Let it cool 20 minutes before topping with basil leaves and serving.
Tools for this recipe
- Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, Pyrex 9x13 glass baking dish, OXO 11-inch balloon whisk, Parmigiano Reggiano wedges, aged 24 months. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Want more like this? Try Martha's cookbook Great Food Fast.
FAQs
Can I make baked ziti with sausage and bechamel vegetarian?
Yes, Martha suggests swapping the sausage for 1 pound of chopped mushrooms sautéed in 1/4 cup oil with a pinch of fennel seeds. The fennel seeds bring back some of that sausage flavor.
Why rinse the pasta after boiling?
Rinsing under cool water stops the cooking right away. Since the ziti is already pulled 5 minutes early and still bakes for 30 minutes in the oven, this keeps it from turning mushy.
Can I assemble this baked ziti ahead of time?
You can build the dish, cover it tightly and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to bake. A cold dish needs extra time in the oven, so check that the center is bubbling hot before you pull it out.
Why press plastic wrap on the bechamel?
Milk-based sauces form a skin as they cool, and that skin turns into rubbery bits when you spread the sauce. Plastic wrap touching the surface blocks air, so the bechamel stays smooth.
Why does the dish go on a baking sheet?
A loaded baking dish bubbles up as it bakes and sauce can spill over the edge. A parchment-lined rimmed sheet catches the drips, so your oven stays clean and no smoke builds up at 425°F.
This week on Amazon
Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals run through December 1. The picks from this recipe we would check first: Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, Pyrex 9x13 glass baking dish, OXO 11-inch balloon whisk.
See the dealsMartha's 100 favorite recipes, all in one book: Martha: The Cookbook.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
