Description
- A comforting pasta bake made with mostaccioli pasta, savory Italian sausage, tomato sauce, and a creamy blend of cheeses. Perfect for family dinners, meal prep, or feeding a crowd.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz mostaccioli pasta
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil (optional)
Instructions
- Cook mostaccioli until al dente, drain, and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Add onion and cook until softened.
- Stir in garlic and sausage. Cook until browned. Drain excess fat.
- Add oregano, red pepper, and tomato paste. Stir for 1 minute.
- Pour in crushed tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, simmer for 10 minutes.
- In a bowl, mix ricotta and egg.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Spread a layer of meat sauce on the bottom.
- Add half of the pasta, spoon ricotta mixture over, top with sauce and mozzarella.
- Repeat layers, finishing with mozzarella and Parmesan on top.
- Cover with foil, bake 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes more until bubbly.
- Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with basil if desired.
Notes
- To freeze: Assemble, cover tightly, and freeze before baking.
- To reheat: Thaw overnight, bake covered at 375°F until hot.
- Vegetarian variation: Replace sausage with sautéed mushrooms and spinach.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 740mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 85mg