Quick Sausage Pasta Bake (Printable Version)
Hearty pasta bake with Italian sausage, tomatoes, and gooey melted cheese. Ready in 40 minutes for an easy weeknight meal.
# What You 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 or oregano/basil mix
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Garnish
12 - Fresh basil leaves
# Directions:
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 Advice:
01 -
- Everything happens in one skillet and one baking dish, which means practically zero cleanup afterward
- The pasta finishes cooking in the sauce, absorbing all those Italian sausage flavors while the cheese bubbles into golden perfection
02 -
- Undercooking the pasta by 2 minutes is nonnegotiable, or you'll end up with mushy noodles after baking
- Removing sausage casings takes an extra minute but transforms the texture, letting seasoned meat cruble throughout instead of staying in distinct clumps
03 -
- Use the biggest skillet you own because combining pasta with sauce takes more room than you think
- Grate your own Parmesan instead of buying pregrated—the flavor difference is honestly shocking