This Sausage Pasta Bake will become your new favorite weeknight meal! This recipe is easy to make and so flavorful with Italian sausage in a delicious tomato sauce. The mozzarella and Parmesan cheese create the perfect, comforting blend of bubbly, melted goodness.
Sausage pasta bake is a favorite of mine that’s hearty, budget-friendly, and easy to make, even on the busiest weeknights. You can use any type of meat you want in this dish, or leave it out entirely – see below for variations.
Looking for a filling and comforting dish? Stop looking! This Italian Sausage Pasta Bake is exactly what you need! It’s packed with flavorful sausage, your favorite marinara sauce, ooey-gooey cheese, and rigatoni pasta. Plus, it comes together in just minutes!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE SAUSAGE PASTA BAKE
- 1 lb rigatoni or penne pasta
- Italian sausage
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Roma tomatoes
- Pasta sauce, I prefer Rao’s
- Mozzarella cheese
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Basil, torn into pieces
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR BAKED RIGATONI WITH SAUSAGE
Preheat oven to 375F.
Bring salted water to a boil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Cook the pasta until it is al dente, according to package directions. This should take 8-10 minutes. Drain the pasta, rinse with cold water, and set it aside.
In a frying pan, cook the sausage, onion, and garlic over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Use a spatula to break up the sausages into smaller pieces. Add the tomatoes and stir everything together. Then cook until the meat is cooked through (3-5 minutes more); the onions and tomatoes should be soft when done.
After adding the pasta sauce, turn the heat down to medium and wait for the meat sauce to reach a simmer. Next, gently stir it and season it with salt and pepper according to your taste
Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 5-7 minutes.
After the sauce has simmered, add in the cooked pasta and gently stir together until the noodles are evenly coated.
Pour half of the pasta into a 9×13 glass pan and top with 1.5 cups of mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese. Add the remaining pasta on top of the cheese layer and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
Bake the pasta for 25 minutes. The cheese should be melted and golden brown. After it cools for 15 minutes, your delicious food is ready to be eaten!
RECIPE VARIATIONS & TIPS
If you’re looking for a vegetarian option, try replacing the sausage with mushrooms, zucchini, or eggplant.
If you’re in the mood for a change from sausage, try some pepperoni, ground chicken, or beef instead.
For those who love carbs, there’s nothing quite like freshly-baked pasta. This dish will last in the fridge for 2 days – whether you choose to eat it reheated or straight from the container.
Can I freeze baked pasta? Yes! Just place your cooled pasta bake in a freezer-safe container and freeze. Thawing overnight in the fridge is the best way to do this.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH A PASTA BAKE?
MORE PASTA RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE
- Chicken Bryan Pasta Skillet
- Skinny Alfredo Sauce
- Ravioli Lasagna
- Creamy Pesto Chicken Ravioli
- Zucchini Noodle Pasta Primavera
Don’t forget to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Sausage Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 1 cup yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 2 cups Roma tomatoes half in half
- 4 cups pasta sauce I used Rao's
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh basil torn into pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the pasta until it is al dente (fully cooked but still firm), about 8-10 minutes, or according to package directions. Drain the pasta, rinse with cold water, and set it aside.
- Cook the sausage, onion, and garlic until browned – this should take approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Use a spatula to break the sausages into smaller pieces. Next, add in the tomatoes and stir everything together. Let it cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until Mean is cooked through; at that point, the onion and tomatoes should be tender too.
- After adding the pasta sauce, turn the heat down to medium and wait for the meat sauce to reach a simmer. Then, stir occasionally and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 5-7 minutes.
- Once the sauce has simmered, add in the cooked pasta and gently stir together until the noodles are evenly coated.
- Pour half of the pasta into a 9×13 glass pan and top with 1.5 cups of mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. Add the remaining pasta on top of the cheese layer and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
- Bake the pasta for 25 minutes. The cheese should be melted and golden brown. Let it cool for 15 minutes, then enjoy!
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This looks amazing! I love bakes like this because they’re so easy, and they can feed my family for a couple of days.
Looks so delish! Adding on our weeknight dinner rotation!
Oh my goodness! This pasta dish is so inviting! My family will go crazy!