Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage
This baked pasta with chicken sausage is full of delicious flavors. It’s perfect to take to someone and it makes a heaping 9X13 pan full.
This is my husband’s favorite meal ever. Ever. Right up there with his beloved Sweet and Sour Chicken, which is saying a lot.
He. Loves. This Meal. And he requests it all the time. I think it as one of those meals that is something straight from a restaurant – a good restaurant.
This baked pasta is chock full of good stuff: tender noodles, creamy cheese, flavorful chicken or turkey sausage, hearty sauce packed with spinach, the list goes on and on.
This is a perfect meal to take to someone and it makes a heaping 9X13 pan full (in the pictures above you see an 8X8-inch dish; don’t be alarmed, this is overflow from halving the recipe again).
Don’t be afraid of the sausage. It is delicious and we love it so much in this dish (fighting over the tender little nuggets) that I’ve used it in many other pasta/rice dishes because it is so versatile.
Make this. You won’t be disappointed.
FAQs for Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage
The best way is to seal it really well (you can double layer the foil and then put the whole covered pan in a large freezer ziploc bag and try to press out all the air – or suck it out with a straw)- this will keep really well for a couple of months in the freezer. Then, make sure you let the casserole cool before wrapping up before. That helps reduce freezer burn and ice crystals.
Yes! Use whatever onion you have on hand!
Absolutely!
What to Serve With This
A steamed veggie (or for something fancier this Creamy Confetti Corn with Bacon)
Divine Breadsticks or a really, great dinner roll like these Fluffy Whole Wheat Rolls
Cottage Cheese
Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 pound rigatoni
- 10 ounces frozen baby spinach, thawed and drained well (can substitute 1 or 2 9-oz. bags fresh spinach)
- 12 ounces precooked smoked chicken, or turkey sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick (see note)
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, 4 ounces cut into 1/2-inch cubes and 4 ounces shredded
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic. Cook for another minute.
- Stir in tomatoes, oregano and basil; simmer for 8-10 minutes. Add cream; cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cook the pasta in the boiling water until about a minute less than the al dente package directions. (If using fresh spinach, add it to the pot of boiling pasta right at the end and cook until wilted.) Drain, and return contents to pot.
- Add tomato sauce, sausage, spinach and cubed mozzarella to the pot; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Scoop pasta into lightly greased 9X13-inch pan (or divide evenly between two 8X8-inch pans).
- Top with shredded mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake until browned and edges are crisp, 20 to 30 minutes.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food
Super yummy and toddler approved. Makes lots which means leftovers for tomorrow, my favorite!
A friend made this for me when I had a baby and I’ve been dreaming about it ever since. I want to make this dish myself, but confused about the sausage. My friend said she used the same brand you recommended, Jennie-O, but they don’t seem to have chicken sausage- only Turkey. Can you share the exact sausage you used?
The turkey sausage works great as well! I also love it with the Aidell’s brand.
My family loves this recipe and I make it often! Just curious, I know you noted it could be made 12 hrs before and put in the fridge. Do you think I could make it 24 hr before and leave it in the fridge or would you freeze it?
I think it would do fine for 24 hours – it must might be a bit less saucy.
My husband loved this – called it the best thing I’ve made in a while. 🙂
Just want to let anyone know it’s very flexible: I used a yellow onion, 16 Oz tomato sauce instead of the crushed tomatoes, penne pasta, Parmesan from a bottle, and even zucchini instead of spinach (just sliced it in thin half circles and sautéd with the onions) because those are the things I had in my pantry and fridge and i really wanted to eat this dish for dinner anyway. I even threw in a few mushrooms because they needed to be used. It was SO good!
What would be the nutritional value per portion for this dish?
I feel silly asking, but can white onions be used in place of red? I have all the other ingredients and would like to avoid a shopping trip if I can. Thanks!
Yes, for sure! Different flavor, but I would definitely use them in a pinch.
My boys made this tonight with minimal supervision since I’m sick. The onions were quite roughly chopped and the cheese grating really tired my son out…because he was using the backside of the cheese grater. Ha! It turned out delicious and my boys were so proud. My second son took a bite and declared, “I’ve been enlightened to a new world of spinach.” Thanks for the enlightenment!
I had no clue what to cook tonight , so of course I came to your site I made this dish since I had everything on hand , it was total hit! We all loved it and it came together quickly. Thanks!