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homemade Copycat Olive Garden Neapolitan Ziti: Bring Back This Restaurant Favorite photo

Copycat Olive Garden Neapolitan Ziti: Bring Back This Restaurant Favorite

A comforting, restaurant-style ziti with Italian sausage, peppers, and a chunky tomato-basil sauce.
Print Recipe Save it
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Equipment

  • Large Pot
  • Skillet
  • heavy saucepan
  • Knife
  • Cutting Board
  • Slotted spoon or tongs

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage
  • 1 1/3 cups green bell pepper chopped
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil divided use
  • 28 ounces canned Italian-style or plum tomatoes
  • 10.75 ounces tomato puree
  • 1 teaspoon garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3/4 pound ziti pasta prepared according to package directions
  • 5 cups marinara sauce
  • 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • Preheat a skillet or oven as needed and cook the Italian sausages until fully cooked through. Drain any fat and let cool slightly, then halve each sausage lengthwise and slice into 1/2-inch pieces.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped green bell pepper and sauté until they lose their raw crunch but are not mushy, about 4–6 minutes. Remove and set aside.
  • In a heavy saucepan, combine the canned tomatoes (crushed by hand for a chunky texture), tomato puree, minced garlic, the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil, and the fresh basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Bring the sauce to a light simmer over medium heat, then add the sautéed peppers and sliced sausage. Let the mixture simmer together for 3–5 minutes to meld the flavors.
  • Meanwhile, cook the ziti in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta (reserve up to 1/2 cup pasta water if you need to loosen the sauce).
  • To serve, plate the cooked ziti and top with the sausage, peppers, and marinara sauce. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes

  • Crush canned tomatoes by hand for a chunky sauce texture.
  • Tear basil leaves instead of chopping to release more flavor.
  • Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce if needed.