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Creamy Pumpkin Baked Ziti Recipe

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4 from 15 reviews

This Creamy Pumpkin Baked Ziti is a comforting pasta dish that beautifully blends savory chicken sausage with the subtle sweetness of pumpkin puree. Infused with aromatic herbs like sage and thyme, and layered with a rich ricotta and mozzarella cheese mixture, this baked ziti is perfect for cozy dinners throughout the fall and winter seasons.

Ingredients

Pasta

  • 1 pound rigatoni or ziti

Sausage and Sauce

  • 1 pound sweet or spicy bulk chicken sausage
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 ¼ cups reserved pasta cooking water

Ricotta Mixture

  • 16 ounces ricotta cheese
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 teaspoons freshly chopped sage
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Topping

  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (reserved)

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish to prepare it for assembling the ziti.
  2. Cook Pasta: Boil rigatoni or ziti in salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 2 ¼ cups of the pasta cooking water before draining the pasta. Set the cooked pasta aside.
  3. Prepare Sauce: In a 6-quart saucepan, brown the chicken sausage over medium heat, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Once browned, add diced onion, minced garlic, dried Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and kosher salt. Sauté for 4 to 6 minutes until the onion has softened. Stir in chopped fresh sage, fresh thyme leaves, pumpkin puree, heavy cream, and the reserved pasta cooking water. Mix well and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
  4. Make Ricotta Mixture: In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, chopped fresh parsley, fresh thyme, fresh sage, grated Parmesan, and 3 cups of shredded mozzarella. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well blended.
  5. Assemble the Dish: Add the cooked pasta into the pumpkin sausage sauce and stir to combine evenly. Pour half of this mixture into the prepared baking dish. Spoon half of the ricotta mixture over the pasta layer. Repeat with the remaining pasta and ricotta mixture. Finish by sprinkling the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
  6. Bake: Cover the baking dish and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Then uncover and continue baking for another 30 to 40 minutes, or until the pasta is bubbling and the cheese on top is nicely browned and slightly crispy.
  7. Cool and Serve: Remove the baked ziti from the oven and let it cool for about 15 minutes before serving. This helps the dish set and makes it easier to slice and serve.

Notes

  • Use either sweet or spicy chicken sausage depending on your heat preference.
  • Fresh herbs like sage and thyme can be substituted with dried herbs if fresh are unavailable, but reduce quantity by half.
  • Reserve pasta water is key for thinning out the sauce without diluting flavor.
  • Letting the baked ziti rest after baking helps the cheese set and enhances flavors.
  • Can be made a day ahead and reheated in the oven covered with foil.
  • For a vegetarian variation, replace sausage with sautéed mushrooms or plant-based sausage.

Find it online: https://yumntasty.com/creamy-pumpkin-baked-ziti-recipe/