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Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 (411g) Recipe makes 8 servings The following items or measurements are not included below: 1 cup asiago cheese
Calories 810
Calories from Fat 364		(44%)
Amount Per Serving		%DV
	Total Fat 40.5g	62%
	Saturated Fat 17.1g	85%
	Monounsaturated Fat 15.0g
	Polyunsaturated Fat 4.9g
	Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 82mg		27%
Sodium 2112mg		88%
Potassium 1276mg		36%
Total Carbohydrate 75.8g		25%
	Dietary Fiber 9.9g	39%
	Sugars 13.2g
Protein 37.7g		75%
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Make Ahead Italian Sausage and Pasta Bake

Recipe #286627 | 50 min | 20 min prep | add private note

⁽⁵⁾ RATE IT NOW Print Recipe

By: CHILI SPICE
Feb 14, 2008

This wonderful hearty, make ahead casserole really hits the spot. full of flavor, easy to make (and freeze) for those hectic or lazy days ahead.

SERVES 8 -10 (change servings and units)

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs Italian sausage (mild or hot)
olive oil (optional)
2 onions, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large sweet red pepper, coarsely chopped
28 ounces meatless extra chunky pasta sauce
213 ml can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon fennel seed
5 cups penne pasta
1 (284 g) package fresh spinach (trimmed and coarsely chopped)
3 cups shredded provolone cheese or mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated asiago cheese or parmesan cheese

Directions

1
Cut sausage into 1/2 inch chunks. I large skillet, brown sausage over medium-high heat, in batches and adding oil if necessary. Transfer sausage to a bowl.
2
Pour off any fat from pan. Add onions, garlic and red pepper, cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in pasta sauce, tomato sauce, basil, oregano and fennel seeds; bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pan. Return sausage and any accumulated juices to pan; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until sausage is firm throughout.
3
Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta for 6 minutes, add spinach;cook for 1 minute. Drain well and return to pot. Add sausage mixture and provolone/mozzarella cheese; stir to combine well.
4
Transfer to 2 greased 8-inch square baking dishes or 1 13x9-inch dish. Sprinkle with Asiago/parmesan cheese. Cover dish with greased foil, greased side down.
5
To serve: Bake, covered with foil, in in 375 degree F. oven for 30 minutes or for 1 hour if from the refrigerator. This freezes beautifully (thaw in refrigerator before baking).

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Featured Reviews for This Recipe

From: Sage

On Aug 6, 2009

This is soooo good! I was looking for a recipe to use up my cooked italian sausage. With all my ingredients ready to go; ittook me 10 minutes to get it together. My pasta was cooked(leftover from another meal), always have homemade tomato sauce in the freezer, and the spinach was cooked and waiting to be served. Wow what a winner. A great meal to make ahead when my kids come to visit; thank so much for posting. Can't compete with FT's pictures; sorry. Rita

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From: agileangus

On Aug 31, 2008

I made this exactly as the recipe suggested, and then froze it. I thawed and baked it several days later. The noodles were mushy and it not "saucy" enough.

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From: jennifer in new jersey

On Apr 14, 2008

Delicious, healthy and easy meal to prepare. I somehow forgot to review this lifesaver! I used this recipe so that there would be a healthy and good meal when i returned home from surgery. I follwed the recipe exactly except i omitted the fennel seed as i havent aquired a taste for that just yet. Used all organic ingredients and chose the grated asiago (my daughter's preference). I used Paul Newman's bobolina sauce, but added just a little more than the recipe called for as my daughter and i love extra sauce on everything. It worked out so very well (my first time at making a meal ahead of time) down to every detail that i made it again twice since then on occassions when i knew i wasnt going to be home all day but wanted to still have a good meal come dinner time. Served this with a starter of a small spinach salad with balsamic dressing. Thank you so much for sharing this keeper recipe!

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From: French Tart

On Mar 10, 2008

One of the most delicious and "well behaved" pasta bakes I have EVER made! The taste was SO Italian, it was the fennel seeds and the combination of cheeses - just superb! I could have made this quite happily without the sausage, and I may do that next time - when I fancy a meat fee meal. I made this for the Pasta and Potato Photo tag - but I can assure you that I will be making this MANY times again - just lovely! Thanks for posting - FT