Quick Sausage Pasta Bake (Printable)

Hearty pasta bake with Italian sausages, tomato sauce, and melted cheese ready in 40 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 14 oz Italian sausages, casings removed

→ Pasta

02 - 10 oz penne or rigatoni

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 14 oz canned chopped tomatoes

→ Dairy

07 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
08 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Pantry

09 - 2 tbsp olive oil
10 - 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

12 - Fresh basil leaves

# How-to Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water for 2 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
03 - While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage meat, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
04 - Add the chopped onion, garlic, and red bell pepper. Sauté for 4–5 minutes until softened.
05 - Stir in the canned tomatoes and dried herbs. Simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
06 - Combine the drained pasta with the sausage sauce in the skillet. Mix well.
07 - Transfer the mixture to a baking dish. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese evenly over the top.
08 - Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden.
09 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like it simmered all day
  • The sausage creates this incredible rich tomato base that feels fancy despite being so simple
  • Lefovers reheat beautifully for lunch the next day
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time, otherwise the cheese slides right off when you serve it
  • If the sausage seems very lean, add a splash more olive oil before adding the vegetables
  • The baking time can vary depending on your oven, check at 12 minutes to avoid burning the cheese
03 -
  • Grate your own Parmesan instead of buying pre-grated, the flavor difference is remarkable
  • Use a baking dish with high sides to prevent bubbling over in your oven

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