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–+ servings
4.98 from 36 reviews

Italian Sausage Bake

This Italian sausage bake is an easy family casserole dinner made with pasta, spaghetti sauce, Italian sausage links, cheese, and basil! With only 5 ingredients, it's a super meal to put together quickly and still serve up hearty comfort food that everyone will enjoy! It will definitely be added to your weekly dinner rotation!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Casseroles, Dinner Recipes, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 642kcal
Author: Angela Latimer

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Italian sausage (Italian sausage links - sweet, mild, or spicy)
  • 24 oz spaghetti sauce (your favorite brand)
  • 16 oz rotini pasta (or penne pasta)
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese (grated)
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (optional - shredded or grated)
  • 1 tablespoon basil (optional - fresh, chopped)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease your 2.5-quart casserole or baking dish, or a 9 x 13 baking pan with extra virgin olive oil.
  • Cook your rotini, penne, rigatoni, or ziti pasta per the package instructions, minus about two minutes for an al dente texture. Drain and rinse in cool water to stop the cooking process.
    16 oz rotini pasta
  • Transfer the cooked pasta to your prepared baking dish.
    the first layer in the italian sausage bake is rotini or penne pasta.
  • Pour marinara or spaghetti sauce over the cooked pasta layer.
    24 oz spaghetti sauce
    the second layer in Italian sausage bake is spaghetti sauce.
  • Cut your Italian sausage links into chunks and press them into the top of the sauce layer.
    1 lb Italian sausage
    the third layer in italian sausage and pasta bake is chunked pieces of italian sausage links.
  • Grate mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses then spread over the top of the sausage layer.
    1 cup mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
    the fourth layer of italian sausage bake is mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
  • Top with fresh-cut basil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 35-40 minutes. When done, the casserole should be bubbling around the edges, and the sausage pieces should have an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C).
    1 tablespoon basil
    the fifth and final layer on the pasta bake is freshly chopped basil.
  • Remove from the oven and serve immediately. Garnish with more cheese, basil, or chopped parsley if desired.

Notes

  • Great stir-in ideas include mushrooms, green bell peppers, sweet bell peppers, freshly ground fennel seeds, halved cherry or grape tomatoes, and of course...more cheese!
  • You can make your casserole ahead of time, simply prepare it according to the instructions. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake, then allow a few extra minutes of cooking time.
  • Pick out your favorite sausage links from brands like Johnsonville, Premio, Aidells, Applegate Farms, and Swaggerty Farms to make this easy pasta bake!

Nutrition

Calories: 642kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 1335mg | Potassium: 749mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 705IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 190mg | Iron: 3mg