Name: Cheater Baked Ziti
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 (16 ounce) package dry ziti pasta; 1 pound bulk hot Italian sausage; 1 (16 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce; 1 (16 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce; 1 (8 ounce) package shredded Italian cheese blend

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package dry ziti pasta
1 pound bulk hot Italian sausage
1 (16 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 (16 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Italian cheese blend

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350F (175C).
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring it to a boil. Stir in the ziti pasta, and let it return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until it is tender but still slightly firm (about 12 minutes). Drain well and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook, stirring frequently, until the sausage becomes crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Drain any excess grease.
Once the sausage is ready, stir in the cooked pasta, spaghetti sauce, and Alfredo sauce. Mix everything well to combine.
Transfer the pasta mixture into a large baking dish. Top with the shredded Italian cheese blend, spreading it evenly over the surface.
Bake the dish in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted and golden brown on top.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories	644
Total Fat	36g
Saturated Fat	15g
Cholesterol	75mg
Sodium	1372mg
Total Carbohydrate	55g
Dietary Fiber	3g
Total Sugars	8g
Protein	25g
Vitamin C	2mg
Calcium	241mg
Iron	3mg
Potassium	443mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Comments

Joshua Brown

11/16/2022 03:31:52 PM

Simple and tasty! I incorporated half a bag of sliced turkey pepperoni into the dish, which gave it a delightful texture and flavor. Absolutely enjoyed this!

Kathleen Baker

11/20/2022 10:27:24 AM

I made this recipe exactly as directed last night without making any changes. I used roasted garlic alfredo sauce and a vegetable-based spaghetti sauce. I found it to be incredibly delicious, my boyfriend also loved it, and my co-workers rated it as "awesome". This dish was simple to make, fast, and budget-friendly. Thank you!

Maria Thomas

01/19/2025 11:21:00 AM

Quick and delicious weekday dinner! Pasta is a favorite in my household, so when I stumbled upon this recipe, I had to give it a go. I cannot emphasize enough how simple this recipe is - minimal ingredients, easy prep, and fantastic flavor. The only alteration I made was opting for mild Italian sausage to tone down the spice level. I appreciated how quickly I could whip this up and have a meal on the table in less than 40 minutes. Plus, the leftovers tasted even more divine as the flavors had a chance to blend together.

Dorothy Collins

03/28/2023 10:11:56 PM

Great dish! I found a way to make it even simpler by skipping the step of boiling the ziti. I just mix in the dry noodles with 1 cup of water.

Benjamin Wilson

10/19/2024 07:49:29 PM

I have been using this recipe for years and it has always been a hit! We refer to it as "pink sauce" and usually make it with gluten-free rotini. It's very versatile and you can customize it to your liking. Lately, I've been enjoying adding black olives for extra flavor, and the kids just can't get enough cheese in it.