Classic Baked Pasta Casserole
Submitted by doreen
A hearty 4-ingredient baked pasta casserole with hot Italian sausage, rotini, and layers of bubbly mozzarella. Feeds a crowd with just 10 minutes of prep and one dish to wash.
YIELD
15 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
55 minREADY
1 hrsFour ingredients. One baking dish. A whole crowd fed and happy.
This baked pasta casserole keeps things dead simple: rotini tossed with hot Italian sausage, your favorite pasta sauce, and a mountain of shredded mozzarella. It goes into the oven covered, bubbling away until everything melds together, then gets a final blanket of cheese on top to brown and stretch.
It’s the kind of recipe that feeds 15 people without breaking a sweat, making it a lifesaver for potlucks, game days, or those weeks when you just need dinner handled.
Pro Tips
- Brown the sausage until it gets crispy edges before mixing it in. That caramelization adds a ton of flavor to the finished casserole.
- Undercook the rotini by 2 minutes. It finishes cooking in the oven and won’t turn mushy.
- Let it rest for 10 minutes after baking so the cheese sets up and the slices hold together.
- Swap in sweet Italian sausage if you’re cooking for kids or anyone who doesn’t love heat.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Prepare pasta as package directs. In large bowl, combine pasta, sausage, pasta sauce and 2 cups cheese.
Mix well.
Turn into greased 13×9 inch baking dish ; cover. Bake 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Uncover; top with remaining 2 cups cheese and parsley.
Bake 10 minutes longer or until cheese melts.
Refrigerate leftovers.
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