Italian Sausage Pasta Bake

4.88 from 16 votes

This easy Italian sausage pasta bake is true comfort food! It's cheesy and packed with amazing sausage and marinara flavors. It's also a make-ahead and freezer-friendly recipe!

Prep Time25

Cook Time35

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: people

Calories: 679kcal

Author: Tania

Equipment

1 9x13 inch baking dish
1 Large pot about 5 to 6 quarts
Aluminum foil

Ingredients

1 pound dried penne pasta
1 pound Italian sausage casings removed
4 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil for pan
2 (24 oz) jars store-bought marinara sauce your favorite brand
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning plus more to taste
¼ cup chopped fresh basil plus more for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
½ cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large pot with generously salted water, cook pasta according to instructions until al dente. Drain and transfer pasta back into the pot. Tip: Cook pasta until al dente (aka cooked until it’s still a little bit firm when bitten) since it will continue cooking in the oven later.

Make the sausage and marinara sauce:

In a large deep skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it up into small pieces with a spatula. This should take 6-8 minutes. Remove any excess fat with a spoon or absorb it with paper towel. Then, push the sausage over to the side and add minced garlic, stirring until fragrant for about 1-2 minutes (if needed, add more oil for the garlic to cook, but I didn’t find this necessary)
Stir in the marinara sauce, fresh basil, and Italian seasoning, scraping the bottom of the skillet to release the brown bits. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Bring to a light boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low. Let it simmer for 6 to 7 minutes (uncovered), stirring occasionally, until all the flavors have come together.
Transfer about ¾ of the sausage and marinara sauce to the pot with the pasta (cooked and drained). Stir to combine.

Assemble

Transfer the pasta and sauce mixture to a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Spoon over the ricotta on top of the pasta, roughly smoothing it over and pushing some of it down.
Top with the remaining sausage and marinara sauce.
Top with the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses evenly.

Bake

Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees F for 35-40 minutes, until the cheese has melted. Uncover, and broil on high for 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Let it cool for a few minutes and serve. Garnish with basil if desired. Enjoy! Tip: Broiling can happen really fast - keep a close up do it doesn’t burn.

Notes

If serving fewer people, feel free to cut the recipe in half.
Boil pasta until al dente, aka cooked until it’s still a little bit firm when bitten, but still tender.
Broiling: Broiling happens very fast, so make sure you keep a close eye on it. Otherwise it could burn or over-broil, and the cheese won’t be melty anymore. Usually 1-2 minutes should be enough, depending on how close it is to the heating element.
Storing: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container. You can also cover the pan with foil and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
Make ahead: Let the pasta and sauce mixture cool completely. Then, assemble in a 9x13 inch baking dish as directed. Wrap tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight. The next day, bake as directed, adding an extra 5 minutes if needed. Broiling time remains the same.
Freezing: Let the prepared pasta and sauce mixture cool completely first. Then, assemble in the baking dish as directed. Wrap securely with 2-3 layers of aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge first and then bake as directed, adding an extra 5-8 minutes to the baking time. Broiling time remains the same.

Substitutions:

Pasta shapes: Aside from penne pasta, rigatoni, ziti, farfalle, fusilli, rotini are great.
Italian sausage: Any type of Italian sausage - I usually go for mild. Brats work too.
Basil: If you can’t find fresh basil, skip it. Add a bit more Italian seasoning to taste instead.
Ricotta: Feel free to skip it, but I think it adds nice flavor and texture contrast.

Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.

Nutrition