Baked Sausage Pasta

I remember being a kid and every single party would involve baked ziti.  And it was always pink.  And tasted like nothing

So, for many years, I avoided this pink, tasteless pasta dish

Then I said to myself… “Self?  Why not make a version of baked ziti that has taste and isn’t pink??”  Duh.  So here it is!

To step completely outside the ziti box, I’m using penne.  Mostly because I always have penne on hand and everyone in my family likes penne

Cook a pound of your favorite pasta (it’s ok to use ziti… really) slightly less than the al dente directions on the package.  Add in a cup of tomato sauce, stir and set aside

I’m using Simply Sunday’s Slow Cooker Tomato Sauce

Remove the casings from 2 pounds of Italian hot sausage.  You can use a mix of sweet and hot if you’d like.  We’re spicy people and love hot Italian sausage

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Chop one medium onion and dice 4 garlic cloves

Heat a few swirls of olive oil in a pan over medium heat and add in a bay leaf and a 1/4 of a teaspoon of crushed red pepper.  Told you we were spicy people

Once the oil is hot, add in the onion and garlic.  Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the veggies start to soften

Add in the sausage and break up into smaller pieces.  Continue to cook for about 8-10 minutes until the sausage is browned

Add in 2 cups of tomato sauce to the sausage mixture & stir to combine

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Now let’s work on the cheese mixture

Shred a one pound block of mozzarella and reserve one cup for the topping

Measure out 1/2 cup parmesan, one egg and a 16 ounce container of ricotta cheese

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Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl

Combine the pasta and cheese mixture

Now we’re ready for assembly.  Layer half of the pasta-cheese mixture in a casserole pan

Top with half of the meat mixture

Sprinkle with a layer of shredded parmesan

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Repeat with another pasta/cheese layer and meat layer

Top with the reserved shredded mozzarella and bake at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes until browned and bubbly

Yeah, just like that.  Not pink, not tasteless.  Just a baked pasta casserole filled with love and flavor

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Enjoy!

Simply Sundays! ~ Baked Sausage Pasta

  • Servings: 6-8
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Print

Ingredients

1 pound of your favorite pasta

3  cups of Slow Cooker Tomato Sauce

2 pounds of Italian hot sausage, casings removed

1 medium onion

4 garlic cloves

Olive oil

1 bay leaf

1/4 of a teaspoon of crushed red pepper

1 pound block of mozzarella, shredded

1/2 cup parmesan

1 egg

16 ounce container of ricotta cheese

1/2 cup of shredded parmesan

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Cook a pound of your favorite pasta slightly less than the al dente directions on the package.  Add in a cup of tomato sauce, stir and set aside

Remove the casings from 2 pounds of Italian hot sausage; chop one medium onion and dice 4 garlic cloves

Heat a few swirls of olive oil in a pan over medium heat and add in a bay leaf an a 1/4 of a teaspoon of crushed red pepper; once the oil is hot, add in the onion and garlic.  Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the veggies start to soften

Add in the sausage and break up into smaller pieces.  Continue to cook for about 8-10 minutes until the sausage is browned

Add in 2 cups of tomato sauce to the sausage mixture & stir to combine

Shred a one pound block of mozzarella and reserve one cup for the topping; measure out 1/2 cup parmesan, one egg and a 16 ounce container of ricotta cheese; mix all of the ingredients in a bowl; combine the pasta and cheese mixture

Layer half of the pasta-cheese mixture in a casserole pan; top with half of the meat mixture; sprinkle with a layer of shredded parmesan

Repeat with another pasta/cheese layer and meat layer

Top with the reserved shredded mozzarella and bake at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes until browned and bubbly

© Simply Sundays 2016

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2 thoughts on “Baked Sausage Pasta

  1. sounds amazing. I rarely follow recipes so I fall into the rut of everything tasting the same. Love your blog and recipes. Keep on keepin’ on.

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