Description
Cheesy Sausage Baked Penne is spicy, meaty, cheesy and make-ahead friendly. 6-Ingredients, 20 minutes prep and dinner is done.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb. whole wheat penne pasta
- 2 Tbs olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1.5 lbs. ground Italian Sausage
- (2) 25-oz. jars marinara sauce
- 1 Tbs oregano
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 16 oz. mozzarella cheese, cut into 1" cubes
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- mixed fresh parsley (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside to cool.
- While pasta is boiling, get to work on your sauce. In a large skillet over medium heat, add 2 tsp olive oil. Once oil is hot, add onion and sauté until translucent. Add raw sausage to the pan and continue to cook until no longer pink. Add the marinara sauce, oregano and pepper flakes to the pan. Mix and cook until warmed through. About 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- To Assemble: Cover the bottom of a deep 9x13 inch pan with a thin layer of sauce (just enough to cover the bottom). Layer in half of the noodles, followed by half of the cheese and half of the sauce. Repeat the layers. Top the remaining layer of sauce with parmesan cheese.
- Bake Cheesy Sausage Rigatoni Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly. Garnish with parsley before serving if desired.
Notes
- This dish can also be made in advance. Be sure all ingredients are cooled before you assemble. Cover and place in the fridge or freezer until ready to cook. If baking straight from the refrigerator, cook times will remain about the same. If cooking straight from freezer, bake at 350 for about 2 hours.
