Sausage Mushroom Pasta Bake
A cheesy baked pasta with bits of sausage and mushrooms that only needs a salad and bread to accompany it for an easy dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz box rigatoni, ziti or other tube pasta
- 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed sweet or spicy, your choice
- 1 each onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 1 8 oz package of cream cheese
- 1 24 oz jar of marinara
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
Instructions
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Cook the pasta according to box directions, stopping just short of being totally cooked. Drain once cooked.
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In a large deep skillet, break up the sausage into bite size pieces and brown slightly. Once it starts to sizzle, add in the onion, garlic and all the sliced mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until mushrooms soften and the sausage is lightly browned.
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Add in the marinara sauce, and then the cream cheese, broken up in chunks so it will melt evenly. Once the cheese melts, turn off the heat and set aside until the pasta is cooked.
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In a very large bowl, put in the cooked rigatoni, then pour the sausage sauce over it. Stir to start to combine. Add in the cup of mozzarella cheese, and and parsley; stir everything until well combined.
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Place in either one large casserole dish or two medium casseroles. Sprinkle the tops with the Parmesan Cheese.
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Bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes until bubbly and crispy edges form.
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Sprinkle with the freshly chopped/chiffonade basil just before serving.
Recipe Notes
If prepared ahead of time, keep in the refrigerator and add enough extra cooking time as needed to make it bubbling hot.
One casserole may be frozen for a later date. Defrost in the fridge overnight, or bake, covered to start, for about an hour.