A cheesy and hearty pasta bake, this Cheesy Baked Italian Sausage Pasta is a satisfying dinner. It's easy enough to make for a weeknight meal but tasty and impressive enough to serve for company or a dinner party.
8oz.pasta shapes; bow tiespenne, rotini, cavatappi, etc.
Tomato Sauce
2tablespoonsolive oil
½large yellow or white oniondiced
1lbpre-cooked Italian Chicken sausagesliced into ¼" coins
1medium eggplantdiced into ½" cubes
¼teaspoonsalt
28oz.crushed tomatoeswith basil optional
¾teaspoondried Italian seasoning
½teaspoonsalt
1tablespoontomato paste
Ricotta filling
1 ¼cupwhole milk ricotta cheese
2large eggs
¼cupgrated parmesan cheese
½teaspoonsalt
Cheese topping
2cupsshredded 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 uncovered for 5-10 minutes. 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.
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