A filling pasta bake featuring sausage, mozzarella, cheddar, and a savory tomato sauce with herbs and garlic.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 1 pound penne or fusilli pasta
→ Sausage
02 - 1.1 pounds budget pork sausages, casings removed
→ Vegetables & Sauce
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 14 ounces canned chopped tomatoes
06 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
07 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
08 - 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
09 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
10 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Cheese
11 - 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
12 - 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
→ Garnish
13 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
# Cooking Steps:
01 - Set the oven to 400°F to preheat.
02 - Boil pasta in salted water until just al dente, then drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add sausage meat, and cook while breaking it up until browned, approximately 5 minutes.
04 - Add chopped onion to the skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute.
05 - Pour in chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Season with dried herbs, chili flakes if desired, salt, and pepper. Simmer the sauce for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.
06 - In a large bowl, mix the cooked pasta with the sausage sauce. Stir in half of both mozzarella and cheddar cheeses.
07 - Transfer the mixture to a baking dish. Evenly sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and cheddar on top.
08 - Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
09 - Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.
