Sausage Pasta Bake
This hearty sausage pasta bake loaded with rich Italian sausage and melty cheese is perfect for a feeding a crowd or for freezer meal prep.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 534kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 lb Italian sausage casings removed
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
- 2 bell peppers any colour, chopped
- 1/2 lb rigatoni
- 24 oz pasta sauce
- Fresh basil for garnish
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese grated
Instructions
- Heat a large pot of salted water on the stove until boiling. Add pasta and cook for 7 minutes until very al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, add olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage, breaking up with a spoon and cooking for 2 minutes. Add onions, garlic, Italian seasoning and salt & pepper, sauteing another 5 minutes. Add bell pepper, sauteeing another 2 minutes, then add pasta and pasta sauce, tossing everything to combine.
- Grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray, then add pasta mixture and top with grated mozzarella.
- Bake for 20 minutes until cheese has melted, then remove and let cool for 5 minutes before garnishing with fresh basil. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Use Rigatoni or similar sturdy pasta shapes like penne, ziti and rotini or gluten-free pasta if needed.
Swap Italian sausage for ground beef, chicken or turkey. Just be sure to add seasoning.
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freeze in freezer safe containers for up to 3 months.
Make the base ahead of time, add to baking dish, top with cheese, cover and keep in the fridge (or freezer) until ready to bake.
Nutrition
Calories: 534kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 1406mg | Potassium: 750mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1860IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 143mg | Iron: 3mg