Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage

Comfort food is coming right up…..this Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage is creamy, cheesy and just a tiny bit spicy…In other words, totally perfect.

It’s still cold outside in my neck of the woods, and baked pasta has been on my mind all week.  Here’s the rundown on this one:

• This recipe takes minutes in hand-on prep time, so it’s easy to prepare, and if you’re lucky, you’ll have leftovers for the next day.
• Pantry ingredients like canned tomatoes and dried pasta might be in your cupboard right now! This is great news!
• If you have some sausage in the freezer, you’re one step closer to an absolutely delicious, cozy meal.
• While the pasta bakes, make a salad like this easy and fresh Celery Salad with Hazelnuts or a Pan Roasted Pear Salad or a Blackberry Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts (and maybe a little hot garlic bread.) 🙂

Ingredients You’ll Need for This Recipe

Here’s a list of the key ingredients for this recipe, and for the full list plus instructions, please scroll to the recipe card below. 

• Chicken sausage:  Raw chicken sausage is sold in bulk (like ground hamburger) or in casings, and often it comes pre-seasoned.  Either is fine, and most any sausage will work (Italian varieties work best.)
• Tomato sauce: Thick, chunky, quick and super delicious, always buy whole canned tomatoes if you can.
• Cheese: Creamy, nutty Harvarti fits the bill perfectly here, but mozzarella works well and so does Monterey Jack cheese. Parmesan is practically mandatory for the top no matter which one you use 🙂
• Pasta: Old reliably delicious penne pasta is best for this recipe, a perfect style to hold the delicious sauce.
• Seasonings: All the usual suspects, plus a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to amp up the flavors and add a mild spiciness.

A Word About Canned Tomatoes

There’s no doubt in my mind that crushing tomatoes whole from the can is far superior in flavor and texture than buying the tomatoes already crushed. I’m so happy to get this off my chest. 🙂

Crush the whole tomatoes by emptying into a medium bowl and squishing them with your (clean) hands. 

We don’t want perfection!  We want a rustic, chunky sauce. Muir Glen (not sponsored) is one of my favorite brands for whole tomatoes. 

Step-By-Step Instructions

This is an easy recipe with a lot of pantry ingredients, some that you might even have on hand. Here’s a quick run down on the steps, but scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredient list and recipe instructions.

1. Make the sauce:  This sauce comes together quickly!  Just chop the onions and garlic, brown the sausage and carefully crush the whole Italian tomatoes with your hand and pour into a saucepan. Add seasonings and let it gently simmer until most of the liquids are gone.
2. Boil the pasta: Use the directions on the package, but pull the pasta out of the water a full minute and a half before it’s done – it’ll continue to cook when you bake the pasta in the oven.
3. Mix to combine: Gently combine the the sauce and pasta together before placing in an ovenproof casserole dish.
4. Add the cheese and plenty of it 🙂
5. Bake:  The pasta is ready when the cheese is fully melted and it’s heated through, about 30 minutes.

Expert Tips and Serving Ideas

• Make the pasta a day ahead if you’d like, and keep it covered in the fridge until ready to use.
• I always place pasta dishes like this on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper before placing in the oven. (So much easier to grab a hot tray with an oven mitt.)
• Ground turkey or pork sausage instead of chicken sausage totally works and is totally fine.
• Use Monterey Jack or Mozzarella cheese instead of Havarti if you want, but it’s worth seeking out for its amazing nutty flavor and extra melty consistency.
• For serving, add a little drizzle of good olive oil and a dusting of freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the top of each plate to make this taste “extra extra extra” if you know what I mean. 🙂
• This baked pasta would be amazing with a starter appetizer like Fresh Figs, Three Ways or Party Olives or Lemon Artichoke Dip.
• For dessert, how about Decorated Chocolate Covered Strawberries or Butterscotch Shortbread Dipped in Chocolate? Or, just some really good Chocolate Chip Cookies. 🙂

Questions About this Recipe?

Can this dish be made in advance?

Absolutely! That’s one of the best things about baked pasta…it’s super convenient to make in advance. Just cover the dish well with parchment paper or foil (or like me, both) and store it in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Before baking, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before placing in a pre-heated oven. (On a baking sheet, like we talked about.)

How do I make sure the pasta isn’t mushy?

Under-cook the pasta by a full minute and a half before proceeding with the recipe. It’ll continue to cook as it bakes in the oven, and under-cooking is like a little insurance policy for this. 🙂

Have you tried Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage, or any other recipe on Studio Delicious? Please rate the recipe below and tell me about in the comments!

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More Recipes:

Summer Pasta My year-round, go-to pasta

Chicken Sausage Tortellini Soup Calling all sausage lovers, this is a favorite!

Baked Ravioli with Chicken Sausage Another favorite, this one is SO good!

This recipe was updated with new photos, tips, instructions and FAQ’s from the original in 2019.