Italian Sausage Pasta Bake

Italian Sausage Pasta Bake – Make-Ahead Casserole

Not only is this Italian Sausage Pasta Bake beautiful, it is delicious! When I was putting it together I knew it was going to be special!

 

This wonderful hearty, make-ahead casserole really hits the spot. Full of flavor and easy to make (and freeze) for those hectic or lazy days ahead.

An awesomely tasty dish just right for a snowy evening! Great weeknight meal and makes enough to have as leftovers later in the week.

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Italian Sausage Pasta Bake
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 25 mins
 

I love Italian dishes and this Italian Sausage Pasta Bake is one of my favorites.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Italian Sausage Pasta Bake
Servings: 6
Calories: 425 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage mild or hot
  • olive oil optional
  • 2 onions coarsely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 large sweet red pepper coarsely chopped
  • 28 ounces meatless extra chunky pasta sauce
  • 213 ml can tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seed
  • 5 cups penne pasta
  • 1 284 g package fresh spinach (trimmed and coarsely chopped)
  • 3 cups shredded provolone cheese or 3 cups mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup grated asiago cheese or 1 cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Cut sausage into 1/2 inch chunks. In a large skillet, brown the sausage over medium-high heat, in batches and adding oil if necessary. Transfer sausage to a bowl.
  2. Pour off any fat from pan. Add onions, garlic and red pepper, cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until softened.
  3. Stir in pasta sauce, tomato sauce, basil, oregano and fennel seeds; bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pan. Return sausage and any accumulated juices to pan; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until sausage is firm throughout.
  4. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta for 6 minutes, add spinach; cook for 1 minute. Drain well and return to pot. Add sausage mixture and provolone/mozzarella cheese; stir to combine well.
  5. Transfer to 2 greased 8-inch square baking dishes or 1 13x9-inch dish. Sprinkle with Asiago/parmesan cheese. Cover dish with greased foil, greased side down.
  6. To serve: Bake, covered with foil, in in 375 degree F. oven for 30 minutes or for 1 hour if from the refrigerator. This freezes beautifully (thaw in refrigerator before baking).

Enjoy this Italian Sausage Pasta Bake!

Up Next:

Baked Spanish Chicken Rice

Be sure to Follow Foodgasm Recipes on Pinterest for more great recipes!

Recipe based on one by Chili Spice
Photo by French Tart