Pizza Baked Ziti
This Pizza Baked Ziti delivers 41g protein and 675 calories per serving, making it a calorie-dense option for bulking phases. Eight servings batch-prep on the stovetop in under 30 minutes, so you can cover multiple dinners without repeating recipes. It's built for lifters who want carbs and protein combined without the prep complexity of separate sides.
Ingredients
- •Pasta, Penne, White, Dry(340g)
- •Italian Pork Sausage(454g)
- •Olive oil(15g)
Regular (not extra-virgin) olive oil for high-heat cooking. EVOO for dressings.
- •Pasta Sauce, Marinara, Canned(720g)
- •1 To 2 Cups Extra Pizza Toppings (Such As Olives, Pepperoni, Pepperoncini, Etc)
- •Mozzarella Cheese(720g)
Part-skim mozzarella. Pre-shredded bags are convenient for meal prep.
- •Parmesan Cheese(120g)
Grated Parmesan — the shelf-stable canister is fine for cooking.
Instructions
- 1Heat the oven to 375°F.
- 2Heat a large stockpot of generously-salted water until boiling. Add the pasta (around the same time that you begin sautéing any veggies, see below) and cook the pasta until it is 1 minute shy of al dente. Drain the pasta completely and set aside.
- 3Heat a large non-stick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned, crumbling the sausage with a wooden spoon as you go. Transfer the cooked sausage to a clean bowl and set aside.
- 4Add the oil to the sauté pan, followed by any veggies that need to be pre-cooked (see note below). Sauté the veggies for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- 5Return the cooked pasta to the large stockpot and add in the cooked sausage, cooked veggies, marinara sauce and any extra pizza toppings that you would like to bake into the casserole. (I recommend reserving a small handful of toppings to sprinkle on top of the casserole, if you would like.) Toss until evenly combined.
- 6In a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish, add half of the pasta mixture and spread it out in an even layer. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese evenly on top of the pasta. Then add the remaining pasta mixture in an even layer, sprinkle the remaining mozzarella evenly on top of the pasta, and finish with a sprinkle of your reserved pizza toppings.
- 7Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden and the casserole is heated through. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire cooling rack.
- 8Serve the baked ziti while it is nice and hot, garnished with your favorite toppings.
Nutrition — Per Serving
675
calories
41g
protein
36g
fat
- Carbohydrates
- 45g
- Saturated fat
- 16.8g
- Sodium
- 1543 mg
- Dietary fiber
- 3.0g
8 servings per batch · ~296g each
Macro data sourced from USDA FoodData Central
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How much protein does Pizza Baked Ziti have per serving?
Each serving contains 41g of protein and 675 calories with 36g fat and 45g carbs. This makes it a moderate-protein option that works well as a dinner when combined with a protein-focused side.
How long does Pizza Baked Ziti take to make?
This recipe qualifies as quick prep and yields 8 servings in one batch on the stovetop. You're looking at minimal active time per serving when meal-prepped for the week.
Is Pizza Baked Ziti good for muscle gain?
At 41g protein per serving, this recipe works best as a carb-heavy support meal during muscle gain phases rather than a primary protein source. The 45g carbs per serving support workout performance and recovery when paired with higher-protein mains.
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