30-Minute One Pan Pasta Bake with Sausage and Spinach

This one pan pasta bake turns a pound of sausage, a box of rigatoni, and a few pantry cans into a bubbling skillet dinner with barely any cleanup. Everything cooks in the same oven-ready pan, so you get deep, concentrated flavor without a pile of pots.

It is my go-to when we need something fast that still feels like a real cook. The pasta drinks up the saucy broth as it bakes, and the top gets a blistered, golden cheese crust you just can’t get from a boiling pot.

Why This One Pan Pasta Bake Works

I keep coming back to this dish because the pasta absorbs the cooking liquid instead of plain water. That means every tube of rigatoni carries the sausage drippings, garlic, and tomato deep inside.

The spinach goes in at the very end so it wilts without turning slimy, and a quick broil gives the mozzarella browned, lacy edges that stay soft underneath. The whole thing lands on the table in half an hour without you ever draining a colander.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil: just enough to start the sausage
• 1 lb bulk Italian sausage (mild or hot): removed from casings if you buy links
• 1 small yellow onion, diced small: about 1 cup chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced: use the flat of your knife to smash them, then mince
• 3 tbsp tomato paste: the double-concentrated kind in a tube works great here
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes: no salt added gives you more control, but any is fine
• 2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth: the pasta drinks most of this
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, more if you like heat
• 12 oz dry rigatoni: (about 3½ cups): penne or ziti work just as well
• 5 oz fresh baby spinach: (about 5 packed cups)
• 8 oz low-moisture mozzarella, shredded: low-moisture melts into strings without getting watery
• Grated Parmesan, for serving

Variations and Substitutions

• Swap the protein: crumbled chicken sausage or a plant-based ground all work. If the alternative is lean, add an extra drizzle of oil with the onion so it doesn’t stick.
• Try another green: chopped kale or chard can replace spinach. Stir them in a minute before baking so they start to soften, and skip the final broil step if you want tender leaves.
• Dairy-free option: use a good melting vegan mozzarella shreds and skip the Parmesan at the table.
• Add a herb boost: a handful of torn basil scattered on top after broiling brightens everything up.

Creamy Baked Chicken Pasta is another reader favorite dinner worth making next.

How to Make One Pan Pasta Bake

Step 1: Brown the Sausage

Set an oven rack in the upper third and heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Get a large, oven-safe skillet or braiser (at least 12 inches wide and 3 inches deep) hot over medium-high heat with the 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Crumble in the 1 pound of Italian sausage and let it sit undisturbed for about 2 minutes so a crust forms on the bottom. Then break it apart into small pieces with a wooden spoon and cook, stirring only occasionally, until deeply browned, 5 to 6 minutes total. Scoop the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate and set it aside, leaving the fat in the pan.

You should see a browned fond starting to build on the bottom of the pan. Those little stuck bits will lift up when the liquid hits them later and give the sauce its savory backbone.

Step 2: Build the Sauce

Lower the heat to medium and toss in the diced onion with a pinch of salt. Stir it around the skillet for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened and translucent around the edges. Add the minced garlic and 3 tablespoons of tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 60 seconds. The tomato paste will darken a shade and smell sweet and roasted.

Pour in the 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes and the 2½ cups of chicken broth, then whisk in the oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes. Scrape up any browned bits from the pan. Bring the sauce to a strong simmer, taste it, and adjust the salt. It should be well-seasoned because the pasta absorbs a lot.

Step 3: Bake the Pasta

Stir in the 12 ounces of dry rigatoni and the reserved browned sausage, making sure most of the pasta is submerged. Slide the skillet into the upper third of the oven uncovered. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring once at the halfway mark, until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed but the dish still looks a little saucy.

After 18 minutes, pull out a rigatoni and bite it. It should have just a faint white core left. If it still crunches, give it another 2 to 3 minutes. The sauce will continue to tighten as it rests.

Step 4: Wilt the Spinach and Broil the Cheese

Remove the skillet from the oven and fold in the 5 ounces of baby spinach with tongs. It will look like a mountain of greens but it collapses in under a minute. Scatter the shredded mozzarella evenly over the top and return the skillet to the oven. Switch the broiler to high and let it run until the cheese is bubbly and spotted with deep brown blisters, about 2 to 3 minutes. Keep the oven door cracked and watch it closely because broilers vary wildly.

Let the pan cool on a trivet for 5 minutes, then spoon it into wide bowls with a heavy sprinkle of Parmesan on top.

Tips for the Best Crust on Top

• Use low-moisture mozzarella for a cheese layer that pulls into long strands instead of forming a milky puddle. Fresh mozzarella in water will release too much liquid and soften the pasta beneath it.
• Position the skillet in the upper third of the oven so the cheese is close to the broiler element. This gets those dark, lacy spots in under 3 minutes without over-drying the pasta.
• Stir the pasta once halfway through baking. This simple nudge moves the pieces that were sitting on top down into the sauce, so everything cooks evenly.

Bake times by pan size:

Storing Leftovers

• Refrigerate: Cool the pasta completely and pack it into a sealed container. It keeps well for up to 4 days and tastes even more savory the next day.
• Reheating: Warm individual portions in the microwave with a splash of water on top to rehydrate the sauce, or cover the whole dish with foil and reheat at 350°F for 15 minutes.

What to Serve with One Pan Pasta Bake

A peppery arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette cuts through the richness of the sausage and cheese without needing much work. On the side, a piece of toasted ciabatta rubbed with raw garlic is perfect for swiping through any leftover sauce at the bottom of the bowl.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different pasta shape?

Yes, any short, sturdy shape like penne, ziti, or cavatappi works. Avoid long strands like spaghetti or thin shapes like angel hair because they cook too quickly and turn mushy in the oven.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes, you can assemble the dish up through adding the sausage and pasta to the sauce, then cool and refrigerate it before baking. When you are ready to eat, bring the pan to room temperature and bake as directed, adding about 5 minutes to the cooking time because you are starting cold.

My cheese didn’t brown enough. What should I do?

Broil on high and move the rack one step higher next time. Low-moisture mozzarella browns slower than a drier cheese like provolone, so you can also swap in a handful of shredded provolone for part of the topping to get darker spots more quickly.

I don’t have an oven-safe skillet. Can I still make this?

Yes, after building the sauce on the stovetop, transfer everything to a greased 9×13 baking dish and proceed with the oven steps. The bake time stays roughly the same, but watch the cheese at the broiler stage because a glass or ceramic dish may take a minute longer to spot.

One Pan Pasta Bake Recipe

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 720

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb bulk Italian sausage (mild or hot), casings removed
• 1 small yellow onion, diced small
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• 12 oz dry rigatoni
• 5 oz fresh baby spinach
• 8 oz low-moisture mozzarella, shredded
• Grated Parmesan, for serving

Method

 

1. Heat oven to 425°F with a rack in the upper third. In a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, brown the sausage in olive oil until deeply colored, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate, leaving the fat in the pan.
2. Lower heat to medium and cook the onion until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste, stirring for 1 minute. Pour in crushed tomatoes, broth, oregano, salt, and red pepper flakes. Scrape up any browned bits and bring to a strong simmer.
3. Stir in rigatoni and reserved sausage, submerging most of the pasta. Bake uncovered in the upper third of the oven for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until pasta is al dente.
4. Remove from the oven and fold in spinach until wilted. Top with mozzarella and broil on high until bubbly and spotted brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes, then serve with Parmesan.

Notes

This pasta bake thickens as it sits, so stir in a small splash of warm broth if it seems dry when reheating. If you prefer a spicy kick, use hot sausage and keep the red pepper flakes. A 12-inch cast iron skillet works beautifully for this and goes right from burner to oven.