A cheesy and hearty pasta bake, this Baked Italian Sausage Casserole with Ricotta Cheese is a satisfying family dinner.
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Add a new healthier comfort food to your menu with this Baked Italian Sausage Casserole with Ricotta Cheese. This pasta bake features a super easy homemade tomato sauce and a nice layer of ricotta cheese -- making it a satisfying homecooked meal that doesn't take a ton of fuss to put together.
We have a complicated relationship with lasagna in this house.
And by "we," I mean Chris. Whereas I grew up loving and looking forward to lasagna dinners, Chris grew up with not such a positive relationship with the cheesy baked pasta.
Growing up in Colorado in the 80s and 90s, it wasn't uncommon for the lasagna offered to Chris to be made with cottage cheese. And Chris and cottage cheese go together like fireworks at naptime. Not good.
So, after dating for a few months, Chris' reaction to my excitement at making an upcoming lasagna recipe was understandably not amused.
And, whereas I could step up to the challenge of eating lasagna leftovers for a week, that's a lot of leftovers even for me. So, we agreed to make a pact -- I would make him lasagna with ricotta cheese (my preferred way, anyways) if he agreed to at least give it a fighting chance.
The result? Raving success. Well, enough success for someone who hadn't eaten lasagna for 30+ years.
And -- most importantly-- music to my lasagna-loving ears. Chris offered to eat lasagna occasionally but only if it was made with ricotta. I willingly agreed.
Given that the offer was conditional, you better bet that I set out to find other ways to get the same lasagna experience without the actual product.
This sausage baked Italian pasta is a byproduct of that brainstorming session. With saucy pasta, creamy ricotta, chunks of hearty sausage, and a robe of melted mozzarella, this pasta dish is reminiscent enough for my lasagna fix without triggering any anti-lasagna sentiments from my favorite loved one.
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Table of contents
- This baked pasta recipe is...
- Recipe ingredients:
- Recipe substitutions and adaptations:
- What is an Italian sausage casserole?
- Can you make this recipe gluten-free? Vegetarian?
- How to make this Italian sausage bake:
- How do you serve this recipe?
- How to store leftovers and reheat:
- Tools needed to make this recipe:
- Other Italian-inspired and pasta recipes you'll love!
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This baked pasta recipe is...
- Cheesy
- Hearty
- Saucy
- Family-friendly
- Made for Sunday dinner
- Perfect for a crowd
- Delicious for leftovers
If you're looking for a lasagna alternative, this healthier comfort food recipe is for you!
Recipe ingredients:
- Pasta - your favorite shaped pasta is perfect for this recipe. Fusilli, penne, orecchiette, cavatappi, and farfalle (bow-ties) are all great options.
- Crushed tomatoes - the better quality tomatoes, the better your casserole will taste. My tomatoes had basil but that's optional.
- Onion
- Eggplant
- Italian chicken sausage - the cooked, often prepackaged type is best.
- Olive oil
- Dried Italian seasoning
- Tomato paste
- Whole milk ricotta cheese - whole milk ricotta offers a much superior flavor than does skim milk so stick with that if you can.
- Large eggs
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
Recipe substitutions and adaptations:
- Veggies - play around with the veggies in this recipe, if you please. Sweet peppers, baby spinach, and more onions would all be very tasty.
- Sausage - you can use bulk sausage in place of the precooked sausage if you like. Both bulk Italian Chicken sausage and Italian Pork sausage would be perfect in this recipe. You can do sweet Italian sausage or hot Italian. Either way, just crumble it up well as you cook it with the eggplant and onions and follow the rest of the instructions as listed.
What is an Italian sausage casserole?
This Italian sausage casserole is a baked pasta casserole with Italian sausage. Before baking, the pasta is tossed with an easy homemade pasta sauce. We then pour the pasta into a prepared baking dish and layer in luscious ricotta and parmesan. Before baking the dish, we sprinkle a generous layer of mozzarella cheese on top.
The end result is a cheesy and saucy pasta bake that the whole family will love! As I waxed on above, it's just like a deconstructed lasagna.
Can you make this recipe gluten-free? Vegetarian?
Yes, you can definitely make this recipe gluten-free and/or vegetarian. To make it gluten-free, just substitute gluten-free pasta for the traditional wheat pasta.
To make this recipe vegetarian, simply omit the chicken sausage (or substitute in a vegetarian sausage) and follow the recipe directions as listed.
How to make this Italian sausage bake:
- Boil the pasta according to the package directions in heavily salted water. Drain and set aside.
- Saute the sausage, eggplant, onions, and salt in a Dutch oven until the eggplant is tender and cooked through.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, seasonings, and tomato paste to the sausage and eggplant and bring to a simmer. Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until thickened and a darker red color.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and gently stir in the pasta until coated in sauce.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, eggs, parmesan cheese, and salt until smooth.
- Spray a 8 x 13" baking pan with non-stick spray. Layer half of the pasta mixture in the pan and spread out evenly.
- Spoon the ricotta mixture over the pasta and spread out evenly.
- Cover the ricotta mixture with the rest of the pasta and carefully spread out.
- Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on the pasta and bake, uncovered, for 20-22 minutes, or until the bake is bubbling and the cheese is turning golden brown around the edges.
How do you serve this recipe?
This is a filling main dish recipe, so I like to serve it with some light sides:
- Blistered green beans
- Green Salad
- Air Fryer Zucchini
- Quick Homemade Dinner Rolls
If you're looking to pair wine with this recipe, I recommend...
- Sangiovese
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Chianti
How to store leftovers and reheat:
Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. You can also freeze the leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
To reheat, heat the leftover pasta bake covered in 2-3 serving size (or smaller) portions on medium heat in the microwave for 1-2 minute intervals until heated through. You may want to rotate the pasta bake in the container between intervals but I recommend stirring it too vigorously (as the pasta can get broken up).
Tools needed to make this recipe:
- Cutting board
- Chef knife
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Can opener
- Stockpot and/or Dutch oven
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Heat safe spatula
- 8 x 13" baking dish
Other Italian-inspired and pasta recipes you'll love!
- Sausage Risotto
- Creamy Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Peas
- Sundried Tomato Red Pesto
- Instant Pot Beef Ragu
- Garlic Angel Hair Pasta
- Juicy Chicken Sausage Meatballs
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Baked Italian Sausage Casserole with Ricotta Cheese
A cheesy and hearty pasta bake, this Baked Italian Sausage Casserole with Ricotta Cheese is a satisfying family dinner.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 8 oz. pasta shapes; bow ties, penne, rotini, cavatappi, etc.
Tomato Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ large yellow or white onion, diced
- 1 lb pre-cooked Italian Chicken sausage, sliced into ¼" coins
- 1 medium eggplant, diced into ½" cubes
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 28 oz. crushed tomatoes (with basil optional)
- ¾ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
Ricotta filling
- 1 ¼ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cheese topping
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Boil the pasta according to package directions in heavily salted water. Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta boils: preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and spray an 8 x 13" baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Heat olive oil in a dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat until it sputters when flicked with water.
- Add the onion, chicken sausage, eggplant, and salt to the hot oil in the stockpot and saute for 9-11 minutes, stirring every few minutes, or until the eggplant is tender and cooked through.
- Pour the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and tomato paste in with the sausage and eggplant. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring every few minutes, or until the sauce is thickened up and a darker red color. Remove the sauce from the heat and gently fold in the cooked pasta until covered in the sauce.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, eggs, parmesan cheese, and salt until smooth.
- Pour half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Spread out evenly. Pour the ricotta mixture over the pasta and gently spread out evenly over the pasta. Spoon the rest of the pasta over the ricotta and gently spread out.
- Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top of the pasta and bake the casserole uncovered for 20-22 minutes or until the casserole is bubbling and the cheese is golden brown around the edges.
- Let the casserole rest for 5-10 minutes and serve hot!
Notes
1. Leftovers last covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. They also can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for 2 months.
2. To make this recipe gluten-free, just use gluten-free noodles like brown rice or chickpea pasta.
3. To make this recipe vegetarian, simply omit the chicken sausage from the recipe or use a vegetarian sausage substitute.
Nutrition Information
Yield
10Serving Size
1/10 casseroleAmount Per Serving Calories 384Total Fat 17gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 108mgSodium 919mgCarbohydrates 32gFiber 4gSugar 7gProtein 26g
This nutrition breakdown is just an estimate of the nutritional value of this recipe and cannot be taken as facts. The owners of Mae's Menu are not nutritionists or dietitians and therefore cannot be held accountable for this nutrition estimate. Please contact your nutritionist or medical professional for a nutritional breakdown of this food. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.
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