This cosy sausage pasta bake combines a rich sausage ragu with tender pasta and melty cheese to create a comforting mid-week family dinner that kids love.
With basil, baby spinach, peppers / capsicum and red wine, this flavour-packed tomato based pasta bake is made from basic ingredients and is the most delicious comfort food. I often fall back on pasta bakes at least once a week as they are a dinner that is easy to prepare, and loved by all ages. Or if I want to make dinner without turning the oven on, this sausage and fennel pasta is another meal my son loves!
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Ingredient notes and substitutions
Please scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post for ingredient quantities.
- Italian sausages – or pork and fennel sausages, or other pork sausages of choice.
- Tomato paste / puree – this provides extra rich tomato flavour.
- Red wine – wine adds an extra depth of rich flavor to the sauce. Substitute with extra beef broth or water.
- Beef stock / broth – use a low sodium beef broth / stock to prevent the pasta bake from tasting too salty.
- Fresh basil – basil adds a beautiful fresh flavor to the pasta bake. However if you don’t have it you can leave it out.
- Baby spinach – substitute with frozen chopped spinach, thawed and any excess liquid squeezed out.
- Mozzarella – for that golden oozing crust on top of the pasta bake! I recommend using fresh mozzarella and grating it yourself as pre-grated cheese is often coated in anti-caking agents and don’t melt as well.
- Parmesan – parmesan adds extra cheese flavour (as mozzarella isn’t that strong in flavour). Like the mozzarella, I recommend buying fresh parmesan and grating it yourself.
- Other vegetables: sliced mushrooms – fry them for 3-5 minutes before adding the bell peppers. Cherry tomatoes – mix in 1 lb / 450g halved cherry tomatoes when you add the baby spinach.
How to make this sausage and pasta bake
Please scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post for the full recipe.
- Brown the onion and sausage meat: Cook the onion then squeeze the sausage meat out of the skins and cook until browned all over.
- Make the sauce: Add the rest of the tomato sauce ingredients and simmer gently until thickened slightly.
- Combine: Mix the cooked pasta with the sausage ragu, basil and baby spinach, together with some of the pasta cooking water, then spoon into an oven proof dish.
- Bake: Sprinkle over the mozzarella and parmesan and bake until golden and bubbling.
My recipe tips
- Salt the pasta cooking water – to season the pasta from the inside out.
- Cook the pasta for less time than the packet states – the pasta will continue to cook in the oven, this prevents it from becoming too soft and mushy.
- Saving the pasta water – adding pasta water to the sauce thickens the sauce and helps it bind to the pasta.
Serving Ideas
- A crusty garlic bread baguette is always popular, as is a slice or two or air fryer garlic bread.
- Salads – a simple rocket salad or pear and walnut salad goes really well. I love the combination of hot, saucy pasta, and cold crunchy salad!
Make ahead/storage
Fridge: store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave until piping hot throughout.
Freezer: freeze for up to 3 months.
Why not try…
You may also like these other dinner with sausages recipes:
Sausage Pasta Bake
Author: Robyn
This cosy sausage pasta bake combines a rich sausage ragu with tender pasta, mozzarella and parmesan which is then baked until golden and bubbling to create a comforting mid-week family dinner.
Equipment
- 23 x 33cm / 9 x 13″ oven proof dish
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 450 g Italian sausages
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red pepper diced
- 1 green pepper diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree
- 120 ml red wine or sub with beef stock or water
- 240 ml beef stock
- 800 g canned crushed tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ bunch basil leaves torn
- 90 g baby spinach
- salt
- black pepper
Pasta Bake
- 450 g dried pasta penne or ziti
- 150 g mozzarella cheese grated
- 40 g parmesan grated
- 240 ml pasta water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven 180˚C / 350˚F
- In a large pot or deep skillet fry the diced onion in the oil over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Turn the heat up and squeeze the sausage meat from the casings into the pan. Cook, breaking up the meat up with a wooden spoon, for 5-6 minutes or until browned and just cooked through.
- Add the minced garlic and diced peppers and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a minute, then add the wine and simmer for 2 minutes until mostly evaporated.
- Pour in the the beef stock and crushed tomatoes. Add the dried oregano and season with salt and black pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer gently for 15 minutes, until thickened.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water according to packet directions, MINUS one minute. Drain, reserving 240ml of the pasta cooking water.
- Mix the cooked pasta with the sausage ragu, torn basil leaves, baby spinach and 120ml of the pasta cooking water. If it seems dry add a little more of the pasta water.
- Transfer to a 9 x 13 inch (22 x 33cm)oven proof dish and sprinkle over the grated mozzarella and parmesan.
- Spray a piece of foil with a little oil, then cover the pasta with the foil, oil side facing down. (This helps stop the cheese from sticking to the foil).
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for 10 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
- Stand for 5 minutes, then serve.
Notes
STORAGE
Fridge: store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave until piping hot throughout.
Freezer: freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 772kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 33gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 81mgSodium: 1132mgPotassium: 1123mgFiber: 7gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 2729IUVitamin C: 62mgCalcium: 316mgIron: 5mg
HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?
I’d love to see your creation!
Tag me! #atmrsjoneskitchen
Tag me! @atmrsjoneskitchen
Or just leave a comment below!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 450 g Italian sausages
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red capsicum diced
- 1 green capsicum diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste / tomato puree
- ½ c red wine or sub with beef stock or water
- 1 c beef stock
- 800 g canned crushed tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ bunch basil leaves torn
- 3 c baby spinach
- salt
- black pepper
Pasta Bake
- 450 g dried pasta penne or ziti
- 1 ½ c mozzarella cheese grated
- ½ c parmesan grated
- 1 c pasta water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven 180˚C / 350˚F
- In a large pot or deep skillet fry the diced onion in the oil over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Turn the heat up and squeeze the sausage meat from the casings into the pan. Cook, breaking up the meat up with a wooden spoon, for 5-6 minutes or until browned and just cooked through.
- Add the minced garlic and diced capsicum and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a minute, then add the wine and simmer for 2 minutes until mostly evaporated.
- Pour in the the beef stock and crushed tomatoes. Add the dried oregano and season with salt and black pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer gently for 15 minutes, until thickened.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water according to packet directions, MINUS one minute. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Mix the cooked pasta with the sausage ragu, torn basil leaves, baby spinach and ½ c of the pasta cooking water. If it seems dry add a little more of the pasta water.
- Transfer to a 9 x 13 inch (22 x 33cm)oven proof dish and sprinkle over the grated mozzarella and parmesan.
- Spray a piece of foil with a little oil, then cover the pasta with the foil, oil side facing down. (This helps stop the cheese from sticking to the foil).
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for 10 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
- Stand for 5 minutes, then serve.
Notes
STORAGE
Fridge: store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave until piping hot throughout.
Freezer: freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 772kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 33gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 81mgSodium: 1132mgPotassium: 1123mgFiber: 7gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 2729IUVitamin C: 62mgCalcium: 316mgIron: 5mg
HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?
I’d love to see your creation!
Tag me! #atmrsjoneskitchen
Tag me! @atmrsjoneskitchen
Or just leave a comment below!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 lb Italian sausages
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste / tomato puree
- ½ c red wine or sub with beef stock or water
- 1 c beef stock
- 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ c basil leaves torn
- 3 c baby spinach
- salt
- black pepper
Pasta Bake
- 1 lb dried pasta penne or ziti
- 1 ½ c mozzarella cheese grated
- ½ c parmesan grated
- 1 c pasta water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven 180˚C / 350˚F
- In a large pot or deep skillet fry the diced onion in the oil over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Turn the heat up and squeeze the sausage meat from the casings into the pan. Cook, breaking up the meat up with a wooden spoon, for 5-6 minutes or until browned and just cooked through.
- Add the minced garlic and diced peppers and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a minute, then add the wine and simmer for 2 minutes until mostly evaporated.
- Pour in the the beef stock and crushed tomatoes. Add the dried oregano and season with salt and black pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer gently for 15 minutes, until thickened.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water according to packet directions, MINUS one minute. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Mix the cooked pasta with the sausage ragu, torn basil leaves, baby spinach and ½ c of the pasta cooking water. If it seems dry add a little more of the pasta water.
- Transfer to a 9 x 13 inch (22 x 33cm)oven proof dish and sprinkle over the grated mozzarella and parmesan.
- Spray a piece of foil with a little oil, then cover the pasta with the foil, oil side facing down. (This helps stop the cheese from sticking to the foil).
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for 10 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
- Stand for 5 minutes, then serve.
Notes
STORAGE
Fridge: store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave until piping hot throughout.
Freezer: freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 772kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 33gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 81mgSodium: 1132mgPotassium: 1123mgFiber: 7gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 2729IUVitamin C: 62mgCalcium: 316mgIron: 5mg
HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?
I’d love to see your creation!
Tag me! #atmrsjoneskitchen
Tag me! @atmrsjoneskitchen
Or just leave a comment below!
Let me know your thoughts!