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3.67 from 3 votes

5-Ingredient Italian Sausage and Kale Baked Ziti

This 5-Ingredient Italian Sausage and Kale Baked Ziti recipe is made easy with just 5 ingredients. And it’s totally delicious and comforting!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: 5 ingredient, casserole, pasta
Servings: 6 -8 servings

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces ziti (or any pasta shape)
  • 1 lb. ground Italian sausage (I strongly recommend using “spicy” Italian sausage)
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 large handfuls roughly-chopped kale leaves stems removed
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (I used 2% low fat)
  • optional additional toppings: shredded Parmesan cheese crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Heat a large stockpot full of generously-salted water for the pasta.
  • In a (separate) large skillet, saute the Italian sausage over medium-high heat until browned (about 8-10 minutes), breaking the sausage up with a spoon into bite-sized pieces while cooking.  When the sausage has browned, add in the minced garlic and saute for 1-2 additional minutes or until the garlic is fragrant.  Remove pan from heat and set aside.
  • While the sausage is browning, cook the pasta al dente in the stockpot of boiling water according to package instructions. Drain.
  • Return pasta to the stockpot and add the sausage, garlic and kale. Gently toss to combine until the kale is dark green and slightly wilted.
  • Pour half of the pasta into a greased 11×7-inch or 9×13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup of cheese. Layer the remaining half of the pasta evenly on top. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and just barely starts to turn golden. Remove and serve immediately, sprinkled with additional toppings if desired.