Description
Hearty Italian sausage pasta bake combines robust flavors from tender pasta, rich tomato sauce, and melted cheese. Comfort meets elegance in this simple, satisfying dish you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 1 pound (454 grams) Italian sausage
Pasta and Base Ingredients:
- 2 cups (340 grams) shell pasta
- 1 (28 ounces / 794 grams) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 ½ cups (590 milliliters) chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) tomato paste
Herbs, Spices, and Additional Ingredients:
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup (113 grams) shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup (25 grams) grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Sauté italian sausage and diced onions in a spacious skillet over medium-high temperature, continuously stirring until meat is golden brown and onions become translucent, approximately 8-10 minutes.
- Add finely minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 60 seconds, releasing its aromatic essence while preventing burning.
- Pour crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, shell pasta, tomato paste, and italian seasoning into the skillet, mixing thoroughly until ingredients are well-integrated.
- Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then immediately reduce heat to low-medium, allowing contents to simmer gently.
- Cover and cook for 9-11 minutes, stirring intermittently to ensure pasta cooks evenly and does not adhere to skillet bottom.
- Remove skillet from heat source and fold in shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheeses until completely melted and uniformly distributed throughout the dish.
- For an extra indulgent presentation, sprinkle additional mozzarella cheese across the surface, creating a tempting golden-brown crust when briefly broiled.
Notes
- One-pot magic eliminates multiple dishes and simplifies cleanup after cooking.
- Perfectly balanced meal combining protein from sausage, carbohydrates from pasta, and rich cheese flavors.
- Choose spicy or mild Italian sausage depending on personal heat preference and family tastes.
- Meal can be prepared quickly in under 30 minutes, making it ideal for busy weeknight dinners.
- Fresh herbs like basil or parsley can be sprinkled on top for added brightness and color.
- Leftover portions reheat beautifully and taste even better the next day, ensuring no food waste.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 525 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 910 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg