Cheesy Baked Penne with Sausage
This cheesy baked penne with sausage is the kind of dinner that turns a rushed weeknight into something you actually look forward to. It comes together in about an hour with mostly hands-off oven time, so you can walk away while it bubbles into a golden, stretchy casserole.
The pasta cooks in a rich tomato sauce with crumbled Italian sausage, then gets layered with a creamy ricotta filling and a blanket of mozzarella that blisters under the broiler. Serve it with a simple green salad and everyone at the table will be quiet for all the right reasons.
Why This Baked Penne Always Works
The ricotta adds a creamy, almost lasagna-like layer without any of the fuss. Mozzarella on top gets browned and stretchy, while the sausage gives a savory depth that makes it feel like a full meal.
It reheats like a dream, so leftovers are something to look forward to rather than a sad desk lunch. The method is simple enough to memorize after a couple of runs, and the ingredients are all supermarket staples.
Ingredients
- 1 lb penne: any short tubular pasta like rigatoni or ziti works too
- 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed: sweet or hot, whichever you prefer
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper
- 15 oz whole milk ricotta
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 2 cups shredded low moisture mozzarella
- Fresh basil leaves, for serving (optional)
Variations / Substitutions
- Swap the protein: ground beef, ground turkey, or a plant based sausage all work. Brown it the same way you would the chicken sausage.
- Turn up the heat: add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce for a gentle kick.
- Use cottage cheese: blend 2 cups cottage cheese until smooth as a lower fat alternative to ricotta. The texture will be slightly looser but still creamy.
- Go dairy free: replace ricotta with a thick dairy free cream cheese, use a plant based mozzarella, and skip the Parmesan or use a vegan hard cheese.
- Add spinach: stir a couple handfuls of fresh spinach into the hot sauce just before assembling.
Creamy Penne Carbonara is another reader favorite dinner worth making next.
How to Make Cheesy Baked Penne with Sausage
Step 1: Brown the Sausage
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Remove the casings from 1 pound Italian sausage, crumble the meat into the pan, and cook for about 6 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink.
You will notice the edges starting to crisp and the fat rendering out. That fat carries the sausage flavor into the sauce, so do not pour it off unless there is an enormous puddle.
Step 2: Build the Sauce
Stir the diced onion into the same skillet and cook for 3 minutes until softened, then add the 3 cloves minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and 1 teaspoon dried oregano, letting them toast for 1 minute before pouring in the 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
The sauce should turn a deep red and the oregano will smell fragrant. Taste it now and adjust the salt, because the ricotta layer is mild and the pasta will absorb some seasoning.
Step 3: Mix the Ricotta Filling
In a medium bowl, combine 15 ounces ricotta, 1 large egg, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, and a few grinds of black pepper. Stir until smooth.
The mixture will look pale and fluffy. The egg helps the ricotta set so the layer stays put when you cut into the casserole.
Step 4: Assemble the Casserole
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 1 pound penne until al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directs. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven. Drain well and return the penne to the pot. Pour the sausage sauce over the pasta and toss to coat every piece.
Spread half the sauced penne into a 9×13 inch baking dish. Dollop the ricotta mixture over it in spoonfuls, then top with the remaining pasta. Sprinkle 2 cups shredded mozzarella evenly across the top. At this point the dish looks like a flat, snowy field of cheese, but it will transform in the oven.
Step 5: Bake and Broil the Top
Bake the casserole uncovered for 20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling around the edges. Then switch the oven to broil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is golden and blistered in spots.
The top will be browned and the corners a little crispy. Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving, then scatter fresh basil leaves over the top while it is still hot.
Tips for the Best Baked Penne
- Drain watery ricotta: if your ricotta has a pool of liquid on top, drain it through a fine mesh sieve for 10 minutes before mixing the filling. That prevents a soupy casserole.
- Make it ahead: assemble the whole dish, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Add about 10 extra minutes to the bake time when cooking straight from the fridge.
- Rest before serving: those 5 minutes off the heat let the ricotta layer settle so slices hold together instead of spilling everywhere.
- Use fresh mozzarella sparingly: fresh mozzarella releases a lot of water. Stick with low moisture shredded mozzarella for that classic browned, stretchy top, or use fresh in combination but pat it very dry first.
Baking times can shift a few minutes depending on your dish, so here is a rough guide:
| Dish | Material | Bake Time |
|---|---|---|
| 9×13 inch glass | Glass | 22 to 25 mins |
| 9×13 inch metal | Metal | 18 to 20 mins |
| 8×8 inch (half batch) | Any | 25 to 27 mins |
Storing Leftovers
- Refrigerate: cool the baked penne completely, then cover tightly and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: warm individual portions in the microwave or cover the whole dish with foil and reheat in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes. A few fresh basil leaves on top after reheating wakes it right back up.
What to Serve with Baked Penne
A peppery arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette cuts through the richness of the cheese and sausage. For something heartier, roasted broccoli on a sheet pan at the same oven temperature needs about 15 minutes and you can slide it in alongside the casserole. Garlic bread is never a bad move, especially if you want to wipe up the leftover sauce from the corners of the dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different pasta shape?
Yes, any short tube shape like rigatoni, ziti, or even fusilli works because the ridges grab the sauce and the hollow centers hold the ricotta.
Can I make this vegetarian?
Absolutely. Substitute the sausage with 16 ounces of finely chopped cremini mushrooms and a tablespoon of olive oil for richness. Cook the mushrooms until deeply browned before building the sauce.
Why did my ricotta layer turn out watery?
Whole milk ricotta with visible liquid in the container or overmixing with too much egg can cause this. Next time drain the ricotta before mixing and stick to one large egg for the amount listed.
Can I freeze the casserole?
Yes. Assemble it completely, then wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, covered, at 375°F for about 50 minutes, then uncover and broil until bubbly and golden on top.
Cheesy Baked Penne with Sausage Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Brown the sausage in olive oil over medium high heat for about 6 minutes, breaking it up, until no longer pink.
- Add onion and cook 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and oregano, cook 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and simmer 10 minutes.
- Mix ricotta, egg, Parmesan, and pepper until smooth.
- Cook penne 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain, toss with the sauce, then layer half the pasta, all the ricotta mixture, and the remaining pasta in a 9×13 inch dish. Top with mozzarella.
- Bake uncovered 20 minutes, then broil 2 to 3 minutes until cheese is golden and blistered. Let rest 5 minutes, scatter basil on top, and serve.
Notes
