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Overhead shot of baked ziti with wooden serving spoon

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5 from 14 reviews

Baked Ziti With Eggplant and Chicken Sausage

Recipe by Eric Jones

Baked Ziti with Roasted Eggplant & Apple Chicken Sausage combines penne pasta with tomato sauce, apple chicken sausage, and roasted eggplant.

  • Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield8 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 whole eggplant
  • 1 tsp sea salt, divided
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
  • 1/8 cup olive oil
  • 28 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 15 oz fire roasted crushed tomatoes (paid link)
  • 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp ground thyme
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
  • 24 oz apple chicken sausage, sliced
  • 16 oz ziti pasta
  • 16 oz shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Cut the eggplant into medium-sized cubes. Place the eggplant onto a baking dish and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp sea salt, ground cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Toss with olive oil. Bake for 25 minutes at 400 degrees.
  2. Add crushed tomatoes and fire-roasted crushed tomatoes to a cooking pot on low heat. Add grated parmesan cheese, minced garlic, oregano, ground thyme, 1 tsp black pepper, garlic powder, and 1/2 tsp sea salt into the pot. Stir and cook for 10 minutes.
  3. Sauté chopped onion and sliced sausage on medium heat until the onions are translucent and the sausage is slightly browned.
  4. Cook your pasta as instructed, then drain.
  5. Add cooked pasta to a large bowl and add the prepared tomato sauce, roasted eggplant, sausage & onions, and 8 oz. mozzarella cheese. Fold until well blended.
  6. Pour half of the pasta mixture into a baking dish, sprinkle 1/2 cup parmesan cheese over this layer, then layer with the remaining pasta mixture. 
  7. Top pasta with remaining 8 oz. mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Equipment

(paid link)

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 55 minutes
  • Category: Pasta
  • Method: Oven Baked
  • Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

  • Calories: 658
  • Sugar: 9.2g
  • Sodium: 1752mg
  • Fat: 27.7g
  • Carbohydrates: 57.2g
  • Fiber: 6.1g
  • Protein: 45g
  • Cholesterol: 153mg

Find it online: https://dudethatcookz.com/baked-ziti-with-roasted-eggplant-apple-chicken-sausage/