Skip to content
Skillet Night
American Classics 5 min read

Stovetop Skillet Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage

Skillet baked ziti with Italian sausage: the pasta cooks right in the sauce, then gets ricotta, mozzarella, and a quick broil. One pan, about 40 minutes.

Baked ziti with tomato meat sauce, ricotta, and melted mozzarella in a white bowl

Baked ziti is the dish people bring to potlucks and new parents, but the usual version means boiling pasta, making sauce, layering a casserole dish, and baking for 30-plus minutes. This skillet version skips the separate pot: the dry ziti simmers directly in a sausage-tomato sauce, soaking up flavor as it cooks, then you dot it with ricotta and mozzarella and slide the whole pan under the broiler.

Baked ziti with tomato meat sauce, ricotta, and melted mozzarella in a white bowl

Photo: Prayitno via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

You get the same cheesy, browned top and saucy middle in about 40 minutes, with one pan to wash. The starch from the pasta thickens the sauce naturally, which gives it that creamy, clingy texture you usually only get from a long bake.

Prep: 10 min · Cook: 30 min · Total: 40 min · Serves: 6

Ingredients

Sauce and pasta

  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
  • 1 lb (454 g) mild or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup / 140 g)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4–1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 can (28 oz / 794 g) crushed tomatoes
  • 2 1/2 cups (600 ml) water, plus more as needed
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 12 oz (340 g) dry ziti or penne

Cheese topping

  • 3/4 cup (185 g) whole-milk ricotta
  • 1/2 cup (45 g) grated Parmesan, divided
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups (6 oz / 170 g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella
  • Fresh basil, torn, for serving

Method

  1. Position an oven rack 6 inches below the broiler and heat the broiler to high. Use a deep, oven-safe 12-inch skillet (at least 2 1/2 inches deep) or a 5-quart braiser.
  2. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook 6–7 minutes, breaking it into bite-size pieces, until browned with crispy edges. If there’s more than 2 Tbsp fat in the pan, spoon some off.
  3. Add the onion and cook 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes for 30 seconds.
  4. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, then stir in the dry pasta, pushing it down so it’s mostly submerged.
  5. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low so it simmers steadily, and cook 14–18 minutes, stirring well every 3–4 minutes so the pasta doesn’t stick, until the pasta is just tender and the sauce is thick. If it looks dry before the pasta is done, add water 1/4 cup at a time.
  6. Meanwhile, stir together the ricotta, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and black pepper in a small bowl.
  7. Turn off the heat. Dollop the ricotta mixture over the pasta in spoonfuls, then scatter the mozzarella and remaining Parmesan over the top.
  8. Broil 3–5 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is melted and spotted brown. Let rest 5 minutes (the sauce will thicken more as it sits), then top with basil and serve.

Cook's note

Pasta shapes and brands absorb liquid at different rates, so treat the water as a guide. The goal at the end of simmering is pasta that’s just tender with sauce that’s thick but still loose enough to move when you tilt the pan. It will tighten up under the broiler and during the rest.

Swaps and variations

  • No broiler? Cover the skillet off heat for 5 minutes to melt the cheese. You won’t get browning, but it’s still delicious.
  • Meatless: Skip the sausage and add 8 oz sliced mushrooms and a diced zucchini, browned well, plus an extra 1/2 tsp oregano and a pinch of fennel seed.
  • Ground beef or turkey: Use 1 lb, and add 1/2 tsp fennel seed for that Italian-sausage flavor.
  • Greens: Stir 3 cups of baby spinach into the pasta just before adding the cheese.

What to serve with it

A crisp green salad with red wine vinaigrette and garlic bread (or just crusty bread) is the classic table. Roasted broccoli is the easy vegetable if you want something warm.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave with a spoonful of water, covered, or warm the skillet over medium-low with a splash of water and a lid for about 10 minutes. Baked ziti freezes well: portion into containers and freeze up to 3 months, then thaw overnight and reheat covered.

Troubleshooting

  • Pasta still firm but pan is dry? Add 1/2 cup hot water, cover, and keep simmering. Stir more often.
  • Pasta sticking to the bottom? The heat was too high or it wasn’t stirred enough. Scrape the bottom well each time you stir.
  • Too soupy? Simmer uncovered a few minutes before adding cheese; it will also thicken as it rests.

FAQ

Can I use a regular 12-inch skillet?

Only if it’s deep. A standard shallow skillet will overflow. A deep sauté pan, braiser, or Dutch oven works; just make sure it’s oven-safe if you broil.

Can I use part-skim cheeses?

Yes, though whole-milk ricotta and mozzarella melt creamier and won’t turn grainy.

Can I make it ahead for a party?

Simmer the pasta until slightly underdone, top with cheese, cool, and refrigerate. Bake covered at 375°F for 25 minutes, then uncover and broil until browned.

More weeknight ideas

Love a cheesy one-pan pasta? Try our Creamy Tomato Tortellini Skillet on a busy night. For more Italian-sausage dinners, see the Sausage Peppers and Rice Skillet and the Sheet Pan Meatballs and Peppers.