• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header left navigation
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
Cook with Kerry

Cook with Kerry

Live. Cook. Eat. Repeat.

  • Snacks
  • Soups
  • Salads
  • Sandwiches
  • Main Courses
  • Side Dishes
  • Desserts
  • Snacks
  • Soups
  • Salads
  • Sandwiches
  • Main Courses
  • Side Dishes
  • Desserts
Home » Main Courses » Hot Italian Sausage Pasta Bake
August 2, 2021 by Kerry

Hot Italian Sausage Pasta Bake

Share & Save:
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Hot Italian Sausage Pasta Bake
Hot Italian Sausage Pasta Bake
Hot Italian Sausage Pasta Bake

All you need to know about this hot Italian sausage pasta bake is that I made it after a long, fun, but also tiring day and it still seemed quick and easy.

I had planned to make this dish to photograph and publish here but by the end of the day in question, I talked myself out of it. And then back into it because I had to make SOMETHING for dinner. What I’m saying is: this is a very easy dish and a great way to wind down even the busiest of days.

  • Explore: Philly Cheesesteak Pasta Skillet

I love a long-simmered spaghetti sauce, but sometimes there isn’t time for that. I like this recipe because it creates a very comforting tomato sauce even without hours of cooking. It comes out deeply flavored despite the fast cooking time.

I also love this recipe because of the ooey-gooey melted mozzarella cheese. It makes for incredible cheese pull moments while eating and it’s certainly a signature of any good pasta bake recipe.

  • Explore: Ricotta Pasta

Though, TBH, the sausage is really the star of the show here. It provides so much to the dish. It adds a hearty, meaty element. But it also provides a ton of flavor and a little bit of spice. Searing the sausage until it’s deeply golden brown adds flavor as does the flavorful fat rendered during the process. You’ll use that fat to sauté the vegetables and build the sauce.

  • Shop: Cast-iron Skillet

A tip for saving time while making this dish: build the sauce first and let it simmer. Then boil the pasta water. This gives the sauce time to meld on the stovetop while you’re waiting for the pasta to cook.

Hot Italian Sausage Pasta Bake
Print Pin

Hot Italian Pasta Bake

This hot Italian pasta bake is SO good, super simple, and takes less than an hour from start to finish. It's an easy comfort food recipe and will satisfy your craving for an ooey-gooey, cheesy baked pasta.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword Comfort Food, Italian Sausage, Pasta, Quick & Easy, Sausage
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • ½ tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb hot Italian sausage sliced into 2-inch pieces on the bias (diagonal cut); see note
  • 8 oz button mushrooms cleaned and quartered
  • 2 large red bell peppers cut into ½-inch strips
  • 1 large shallot peeled, quartered, and cut into thin slices
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled, smashed, and roughly chopped
  • 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp dried basil
  • ½ tbsp kosher salt
  • ½ lb short pasta like penne or cavatappi
  • 6 oz whole milk mozzarella cheese grated

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
  • Place a 12-inch cast-iron skillet (or another heavy, oven-proof high sided skillet) over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Then place the sausage pieces in the pan, cut-side down, to brown. Brown for on all sides until deeply golden brown. This should take about 5-7 minutes total.
    Use tongs to remove browned sausage to a plate. Reserve the fat in the pan.
  • Add the mushrooms to the pan with a pinch of salt. Cook until the water starts cooking out of the mushrooms and the mushrooms start to brown. Stir frequently to evenly brown. This should take about 5 minutes.
    Then add the red pepper and shallots to the pan with the mushrooms. Cook until the vegetables soften and start to brown. Another 5 minutes or so.
    Add the garlic and cook for one more minute.
  • Add the tomatoes, water, oregano, basil, and kosher salt to the pan. Bring to a heavy simmer and then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Add the sausage back to the pan with any juices accumulated on the plate. Simmer the sauce for 15-minutes while you boil the pasta.
  • Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add a very big pinch of salt. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta. Boil until the pasta has slightly more bite than usual (very al dente.) Strain.
  • Add the strained pasta to the sauce. Fold it so the pasta is evenly covered in sauce. Stir in ⅓ of the grated mozzarella cheese.
    Then top with the remaining cheese. Place, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 15-minutes until the sauce is bubbling the cheese is melted and lightly browned.
    Remove from the oven. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Have sweet Italian sausage? This recipe will work with that too, but if you want spice, add a teaspoon or so of crushed red pepper flakes.
  • I really like to cut the sausage on the bias here because it offers more surface area for browning which equals flavor. 

More Recipes You Might Like

Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas

Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas

Crab Rangoon Crunch Wraps

Italian Sausage Minestrone Soup

Italian Sausage Minestrone Soup

Shrimp "Tonkatsu" Ramen

Shrimp “Tonkatsu” Ramen

Cajun Shrimp Rolls with Secret Sauce

Cajun Shrimp Rolls with Secret Sauce

Chicken & Green Bean Baked Orzo | Complete with Crunchy Onions

Chicken & Green Bean Baked Orzo

Chicken Curry Rice Pilaf with Cashews & Cranberries

Chicken Curry Rice Pilaf with Cashews & Cranberries

Chile Relleno Casserole

Chile Relleno Casserole

Balsamic Glazed Pork Chops

Balsamic Glazed Pork Chops

Meatball Minestrone Soup

Meatball Minestrone Soup

Southwest Chicken Salad Sandwich with Chipotle Lime Mayo

Southwest Chicken Salad Sandwich with Chipotle Lime Mayo

Oven Roasted Chicken Thighs with Herbs & Blistered Tomatoes

Oven Roasted Chicken Thighs with Herbs & Blistered Tomatoes

This post contains affiliate links. I may make a commission on qualified purchases from affiliate links that you click. Affiliate commissions help support this site so that I can keep bringing you great recipes, kitchen hacks, and product reviews.

Share & Save:
Category: Main CoursesTag: Comfort Food, Italian Sausage, Pasta, Quick & Easy, Sausage, Skillet Meal
Previous Post:Oven Roasted Chicken Thighs with Herbs & Blistered TomatoesOven Roasted Chicken Thighs with Herbs & Blistered Tomatoes
Next Post:Southwest Chicken Salad Sandwich with Chipotle Lime MayoSouthwest Chicken Salad Sandwich with Chipotle Lime Mayo

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Sidebar

Find a Recipe

Welcome!

Hi! I’m Kerry, a life-long food and cooking enthusiast. I’m drawn to bold flavors, global ingredients, and recipes with a little twist. Welcome to my kitchen!

Kerry in the Kitchen
Kerry in the Kitchen

Fresh Stuff

  • Roasted Cauliflower Piccata
  • Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas
  • Crab Rangoon Crunch Wraps
  • Easy Starbucks Frappuccino Copycat Recipe
  • Italian Sausage Minestrone Soup
The Best Kitchen Tools | Tiny Tools Edition

Latest on the ‘Gram

Sean and I had to make the hard decision on Friday Sean and I had to make the hard decision on Friday to put Barley down. It's been a rough few days for us and the house feels *extremely* empty. But we know we were lucky to have this pup in our lives for over 14 years--our best guess is that he was about ~16 years old which is an extremely good run for any dog and we are grateful for the years with him. He was in very good shape up until the last few months and in the last four weeks he was quickly declining. He had many nicknames (as all dogs seem to): Barles, Mr.Jingles, Biffer, Stick Legs are a few. He was the absoulte perfect dog for us: food obsessed, good traveler, and happy camper. He barely barked (and when he did, it really freaked me out!) He was sweet to all. He rarely got into things, but once he sniffed out a wrapped box of Tasty Cakes I was gifting for Christmas, ripped it apart, and proceeded to hide all of the wrapped cakes under pillows all around the house. He was my constant companion when I was stuck in bed for over a month before my back surgery. Our hearts are broken but they will heal and we'll always be grateful for his friendship. RIP Barley.
My favorite room in the house. My favorite room in the house.
Tiki date at Wusong Road in Harvard Square. #tikib Tiki date at Wusong Road in Harvard Square. #tikibar #tiki #cocktails #boston #datenight #friyay
Load More... Follow Me Instagram

What’s For Dinner?

  • Quick & Easy Recipes
  • Comfort Food Recipes
  • Instant Pot Recipes
  • Party Food Recipes

Recent Posts

Roasted Cauliflower Piccata

Roasted Cauliflower Piccata

Copycat Frappuccino Recipe

Easy Starbucks Frappuccino Copycat Recipe

Raspberry Ripple Cookies

Copyright © 2023 · Cook with Kerry · About Me · Privacy Policy · All Rights Reserved