Baked Penne With Italian Sausage Recipe
Italian pasta dishes are the best and most classic comfort foods. This baked penne with Italian sausage is sure to get everyone to the table as soon as it comes out of the oven. If it were up to me I’d eat pasta every day for lunch and dinner. However, since hubs is not such a fan, I compromise to every once in a while. This baked penne is everything a cheesy pasta casserole should be: cheesy, comforting, filling and super saucy! It also feeds a crowd, so feel free to share with your friends and family.
How to Make Baked Penne With Italian Sausage
Start by cooking the pasta according to the package instructions, then drain it and set it aside. Make the sauce by cooking the sausage until no longer pink inside then start adding the rest of the ingredients to it. You’ll want to simmer this for 20 to 30 minutes, to give time for the sauce to do its thing. The longer you simmer it the better it will taste. Trust me! Once the sauce is done, toss it with the penne or pasta of your choice and half of the mozzarella cheese. Transfer it to a casserole dish and top it with the remaining cheese. Bake this in the oven for about 20 minutes at 350 F degrees until it’s bubbly and the cheese has melted.
What Kind of Pasta Can I Use?
The great thing about casseroles like this is their versatility. Pretty much any type of pasta can work. Penne, ziti, shells, rigatoni, fusilli, rotini, whatever you have in your pantry. If you wanted to, you could even turn this into a spaghetti bake and use spaghetti.
Other Veggies You Can Add to Baked Penne
I love hiding veggies in casseroles like this. In this casserole I added lots of peas, because I love the sweetness they add to the dish. Other things you could add are mushrooms, spinach, zucchini or even cauliflower florets.
Other Sausage or Meat to Use
You can of course use any ground meat such as beef, pork or for a healthier option ground chicken or turkey. If you want to stick to sausage, spice things up a bit by using a spicy Italian sausage. For a bit of a Mexican flare, try a chorizo sausage or Andouille sausage.
How to Store or Freeze Baked Penne
As with any pasta dish, if stored properly in an airtight container, baked pasta can last 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze this in an airtight container and it will last longer, 1 to 2 months.
Looking for More Recipes? Try These:
Zucchini Lasagna Baked Mac and Cheese Moussaka Recipe Baked Spaghetti Casserole Easy Tuna Casserole Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta Crack Chicken Penne
