Million Dollar Baked Ziti – seriously delicious! Meat sauce, ziti pasta, and 3 kinds of cheese! The BEST pasta casserole EVER! Can make ahead and refrigerate or freeze for later. Ziti pasta, cream cheese, sour cream, cottage cheese, Italian sausage, spaghetti sauce, and mozzarella cheese. Serve with a simple salad and garlic bread. Great for dinner parties and potlucks! Everyone loves this easy casserole. Super easy to make & tastes like a million bucks!

plate of baked ziti with salad and rolls

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BEST Baked Ziti Recipe

This Million Dollar Baked Ziti has been on repeat at our house. Meat sauce, ziti pasta, and tons of cheese. YUM! We ate this for lunch and dinner on the same day. We just couldn't get enough of it! I'll take this baked ziti over the Olive Garden's any day! Whip up a salad and some garlic bread and you have an easy family dinner that tastes like a million bucks!

baking dish of baked ziti pasta

How to Make Million Dollar Baked Ziti

This casserole is super easy to make. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente. While the pasta is cooking, brown Italian sausage in a skillet. Drain any fat and stir in a jar of marinara sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes and set aside. In a bowl, mix together cottage cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, mozzarella cheese, and eggs. Toss the meat sauce, cheese mixture, and cooked pasta together and transfer to a baking dish. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with shredded mozzarella cheese and bake. Garnish the casserole with parsley or fresh basil.

Tips & Frequently Asked Questions

  • Cansubstitute ground beef, ground turkey,breakfast sausage, or turkey sausage for the Italian sausage.
  • Myfavorite store-bought spaghetti sauces are Trader Joe's Roasted Garlic Marinara (green label), Rao's, and La Famiglia DelGrosso.
  • This casserole uses cottage cheese. I NEVER ever eat it straight out of the container – yuck! BUT it is heavenly in casseroles. If you haven't tried it, I really encourage you to branch out and try it. If you aren't ready to trust the word of a tried and true picky eater, you can try andsubstitute ricotta cheesefor cottage cheese.
  • You can use any type of pasta noodles that you prefer. Penne pasta is a great substitute.
  • Feel free to add some vegetables to the pasta mixture. Onion, zucchini, mushrooms, bell pepper, and diced tomatoes are all delicious.
  • Can Baked Ziti be made ahead of time? Yes! You can assemble the casserole in advance and refrigerate it until you are ready to bake. You may need to add a few minutes to the baking time since it will be cold.
  • Can Baked Ziti be frozen? Yes! You can assemble the casserole and freeze it for later. Cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Write the baking directions on the foil and freeze. To bake after freezing, thaw completely and bake as directed.
  • Storeleftoversin an airtight container in the refrigerator.
plate of baked ziti with salad and rolls

What to Serve with Baked Pasta Casserole

This pasta casserole is definitely on our holiday menu. We usually have lasagna, but this year I think I am whipping up this casserole. This makes a TON of pasta. It is great for potlucks, dinner parties, and also makes a great homemade holiday gift. I mean, who wouldn't love to take a night off from cooking and eat this big ol' pan of baked ziti?

We like to top the casserole with some red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese. Serve the pasta with a salad and some garlic bread for a meal better than any restaurant. Here are a few of our favorite recipes from the blog that go great with this easy pasta casserole:

Salads

Creamy Italiano Salad

Creamy Italiano Salad with Homemade Dressing Recipe – our favorite salad!!! Romaine, tomatoes, thinly sliced seedless cucumbers, sliced banana peppers,…

Bread

Garlic Roll Cupcakes

Garlic Roll Cupcakes – great with pasta! Super easy to make with only 4 ingredients! Refrigerated bread sticks, garlic seasoning,…

Vegetables

Italian Green Bean Salad

Italian Green Bean Salad – quick and delicious side dish! Green beans, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, prosciutto, and mozzarella tossed…

Bread

Garlic Parmesan Skillet Bread

Garlic Parmesan Skillet Bread – refrigerated biscuits chopped and tossed in butter, garlic, italian seasoning and parmesan cheese. Baked in…

plate of baked ziti with salad and rolls

Million Dollar Baked Ziti

Yield: 10 people

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Million Dollar Baked Ziti – seriously delicious! Meat sauce, ziti pasta, and 3 kinds of cheese! The BEST pasta casserole EVER! Can make ahead and refrigerate or freeze for later. Ziti pasta, cream cheese, sour cream, cottage cheese, Italian sausage, spaghetti sauce, and mozzarella cheese. Serve with a simple salad and garlic bread. Great for dinner parties and potlucks! Everyone loves this easy casserole. Super easy to make & tastes like a million bucks!

  • 1 lb ziti pasta
  • 1¼ lb Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 2 (24-oz) jars spaghetti sauce
  • 1½ cups cottage cheese
  • 1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, room temperature
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 2 large eggs

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

  • Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

  • In a large skillet, cook sausage until no longer pink. Drain fat. Add spaghetti sauce.

  • In a large bowl, mix together cottage cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, eggs, and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Stir in meat sauce and cooked pasta and pour into prepared baking dish. Top with remaining 2 cups of mozzarella cheese.

  • Bake uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes, until bubbly and topping is golden brown.

  • Can substitute ground beef, ground turkey, breakfast sausage, or turkey sausage for the Italian sausage.spaghetti sauce
  • My favorite store-bought spaghetti sauces are Trader Joe's Roasted Garlic Marinara (green label), Rao's, and La Famiglia DelGrosso.
  • This casserole uses cottage cheese. I NEVER ever eat it straight out of the container – yuck! BUT it is heavenly in casseroles. If you haven't tried it, I really encourage you to branch out and try it. If you aren't ready to trust the word of a tried and true picky eater, you can try and substitute ricotta for the cottage cheese.
  • Can Baked Ziti be made ahead of time? Yes! You can assemble the casserole in advance and refrigerate it until you are ready to bake. You may need to add a few minutes to the baking time since it will be cold.
  • Can Baked Ziti be frozen? Yes! You can assemble the casserole and freeze it for later. Cover the casserole with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Write the baking directions on the foil and freeze. To bake after freezing, thaw completely and bake as directed.
  • To reheat the casserole after freezing, thaw completely and cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 350ºF until warmed through, approximately 45 minutes.

Steph

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casserole dish of baked ziti