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A plate and a casserole dish of creamy sausage pasta bake

Creamy Sausage Pasta Bake

This is an easy and filling sausage pasta bake that is sure to be a dinner time favorite!

Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Keyword sausage pasta bake
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 484 kcal
Author With Two Spoons

Ingredients

  • 1 pound penne
  • 1 pound sausage mild
  • 1 onion, diced (1 cup)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 28 ounces diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ¼ cup basil chopped + more for garnish
  • ¼ cup breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan + more for garnish

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350°F.
  2. In a large skillet brown sausage until no further pink is visible. Add onions and saute until translucent. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add diced tomatoes, salt, and red pepper flakes, simmer for 10-15 minutes until slightly thickened.

  3. While sauce is simmering, heat a large pot of salted water to a boil (I throw salt in my water when I'm making pasta, this is optional). Add penne and boil for 1 minute less than package instructions call for for al dente pasta (don't overcook the pasta or it will become mushy when baked). Drain.

  4. Pour cooked penne into a 2 quart casserole dish.

  5. When the sauce in the skillet is slightly thickened, add heavy cream and chopped basil. Simmer for 1-2 minutes. Pour sauce over penne in casserole dish.

  6. Top pasta with breadcrumbs and grated parmesan. Place in preheated oven. Bake for 20 minutes.

  7. Turn oven to broil and broil for 1-2 minutes until top slightly browned.
  8. Remove pasta from the oven. Allow to cool slightly. Serve with additional chopped basil and grated parmesan.

Recipe Notes

  • If you are feeding hungry teenagers, this will likely feed 6 instead of 8.
  • Short on time?  You can skip the baking part.  Just cook the pasta to your desired doneness (per the package instructions) and instead of putting it into a casserole dish, place it in a serving bowl.  Toss with sauce and parmesan cheese (leave out breadcrumbs).  
  • This dish may get somewhat dry as leftovers (it still tastes great), so if you are serving to friends, make it right before serving!
  • Want a vegetarian version?  Leave out the sausage.