Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage (Easy, Cheesy & Crowd-Pleasing)

April 22, 2026 Ellen 0 Comments

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Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage, Ground Beef, Ricotta Cheese, Sour Cream and Mozzarella Cheese

This cheesy pasta bake is an incredibly rich, old-school meets secret-ingredient kind of baked ziti. The addition of sour cream, pureed carrots and beef bouillon in the sauce are bold moves for both texture and natural sweetness.

Cheesy Baked Ziti with Homemade Meat Sauce

What is so unique and comforting about this baked ziti recipe?

The Secret Sauce: Instead of cracking open a jar, you’ll blend whole peeled tomatoes with onion, garlic, carrots, tomato paste, a hit of beef bouillon, and a sneaky splash of soy sauce. That soy sauce isn’t there to make it taste Asian — it’s a flavor ninja that adds deep, savory umami you can’t quite put your finger on (but everyone at the table will ask about).
Protein Packed: A savory mix of 85% lean ground beef and Italian sausage provides the perfect fat-to-flavor ratio.
Maximum Creaminess: The addition of sour cream to the ricotta mixture creates a tang and moisture level that outshines traditional recipes.
Perfect for Meal Prep: This dish tastes even better the next day and is incredibly freezer-friendly.

Ground Beef and Italian Sausage for Baked Ziti Meat Sauce — Add the ground beef and sauté that together with the Italian sausage. Use a meat chopper to help break up the meat.

Ricotta cheese, sour cream, parmesan cheese, egg for cheesy pasta bake — Combine ricotta cheese, sour cream, parmesan cheese and egg.

How to layer baked ziti — Spoon a layer of meat sauce on the bottom on the baking dish. Then layer in half the pasta.

Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage, Ricotta Cheese and Sour Cream — Spread the remaining meat sauce over the mozzarella cheese.

What’s in this cheesy pasta bake

mild Italian sausage
ground beef
whole peeled tomatoes
ricotta cheese
sour cream
egg
parmesan cheese
mozzarella cheese
carrots
onion
beef bouillon
soy sauce

Ingredients for homemade meat sauce baked ziti

Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage

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Looking for the best comfort food dinner that tastes like it came straight from a Sunday feast at Grandma’s? This Baked Ziti recipe is the perfect marriage of a hearty meat sauce and a decadent, five-cheese creamy center.

Unlike standard recipes that can turn out dry, our version uses a signature blend of whole milk ricotta, sour cream, and a fresh egg to ensure every bite is velvety and rich. Combined with a custom-blended meat sauce featuring mild Italian sausage and lean ground beef, carrots, onions, fresh garlic, beef bouillon and soy sauce, this is the only baked ziti recipe you’ll ever need.

Author: Ellen

Ingredients

Units Scale

4 mild Italian sausage links (~1 1/4 pounds)
1 pound 85% ground beef
2 carrots
1 small onion
4 cloves garlic
28 ounces of whole peeled tomatoes, blended until smooth (or crushed tomatoes)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Beef
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons garlic granules
2 teaspoons onion granules
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 pound of (mezza) rigatoni or penne or ziti
15 ounces whole milk ricotta
1 egg
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

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Instructions

In a large pot set on medium heat, add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Remove the sausages from their casings and sauté while breaking up the meat. A meat chopper works great for this. Add the ground beef and continue to cook the meats while breaking up the pieces, about 10 minutes until the meat is cooked through.
In a food processor, chop the carrots, onion and fresh garlic until they are chopped into finely small pieces. Add the vegetables to the meat and sauté them together for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
In a blender, add the whole peeled tomatoes and blend until smooth. Pour the tomato sauce onto the meat and vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Add the sugar, salt, bouillon, soy sauce, garlic granules, onion granules, tomato paste and heavy cream. Stir to combine and turn the heat down to low when it starts to simmer.
Cook the pasta for about 3 to 4 minutes less than instructed on the package. The instructions on my pasta says to cook for 12 minutes so I cooked for 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and add the pasta back into the empty pot it was cooking in. Add about 3 cups of meat sauce to the pasta and mix it well until all the pasta is coated in sauce.
In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, sour cream and parmesan. Mix until combined and add this mixture to the pasta. Stir to combine.
In a 9 x 13 baking dish, spoon in about 1 cup of meat sauce. Spread that evenly across the bottom of the baking dish. Add half of the pasta mixture over the sauce in the baking dish and spread that evenly on the dish. Sprinkle half the shredded mozzarella over the pasta. Using half of what is remaining of the meat sauce, evenly spread that over the mozzarella cheese.
Add the remainder the pasta and spread that into an even layer of the meat sauce. Sprinkle with the remainder of the mozzarella cheese. Spread the rest of the meat sauce on top to make the last layer. You can make stripes here for visual interest or spread it evenly over the entire dish.
Cover the baking dish in aluminum foil. Bake in a 350°F preheated oven for 50 minutes. Remove the foil after 40 minutes and bake uncovered for the last 10 minutes. After taking it out of the oven, let the pasta rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Equipment

meat chopper

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food processor

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Vitamix Blender

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Notes

Pasta can be assembled (to step 7) and refrigerated for up to 3 days before baking. Remove the pasta from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before baking. Also add 10 minutes to the baking time.

❓ FAQ’s For Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage

Can I make baked ziti ahead of time?

Absolutely! Assemble the entire dish, cover it tightly, and refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking. Just add a few extra minutes in the oven since you’re starting cold.

Can I freeze baked ziti?

Yes — it’s a freezer champion. Assemble (unbaked), wrap well, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking, or bake from frozen with extra time and a foil cover.

Why do you add soy sauce to the tomato sauce?

It’s the secret umami booster! Soy sauce deepens the savory flavor without making it taste like soy sauce — it just makes everything taste more.

Can I use only one type of meat?

Definitely. Use all Italian sausage for extra spice, all ground beef for a milder flavor, or keep the dynamic duo for the best of both worlds.

What pasta works best if I don’t have ziti?

Any short, sturdy pasta with ridges or tubes works great — penne, rigatoni, or mostaccioli are all excellent stand-ins.

Can I make it vegetarian?

Sure! Swap the meat for sautéed mushrooms or a plant-based crumble, and use vegetable bouillon instead of beef.

Can I substitute the ricotta?

Cottage cheese is a popular swap and works beautifully — blend it for a smoother texture if you prefer.

Do I have to use both Italian sausage and ground beef?

Nope! You can go all-sausage for a more pronounced Italian flavor, or all ground beef if that’s what you’ve got. Either way it’ll be delicious.