Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage
This baked pasta with chicken sausage is full of delicious flavors. It’s perfect to take to someone and it makes a heaping 9X13 pan full.
This is my husband’s favorite meal ever. Ever. Right up there with his beloved Sweet and Sour Chicken, which is saying a lot.
He. Loves. This Meal. And he requests it all the time. I think it as one of those meals that is something straight from a restaurant – a good restaurant.
This baked pasta is chock full of good stuff: tender noodles, creamy cheese, flavorful chicken or turkey sausage, hearty sauce packed with spinach, the list goes on and on.
This is a perfect meal to take to someone and it makes a heaping 9X13 pan full (in the pictures above you see an 8X8-inch dish; don’t be alarmed, this is overflow from halving the recipe again).
Don’t be afraid of the sausage. It is delicious and we love it so much in this dish (fighting over the tender little nuggets) that I’ve used it in many other pasta/rice dishes because it is so versatile.
Make this. You won’t be disappointed.
FAQs for Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage
The best way is to seal it really well (you can double layer the foil and then put the whole covered pan in a large freezer ziploc bag and try to press out all the air – or suck it out with a straw)- this will keep really well for a couple of months in the freezer. Then, make sure you let the casserole cool before wrapping up before. That helps reduce freezer burn and ice crystals.
Yes! Use whatever onion you have on hand!
Absolutely!
What To Serve With This:
A steamed veggie (or for something fancier this Creamy Confetti Corn with Bacon)
Divine Breadsticks or a really, great dinner roll like these Fluffy Whole Wheat Rolls
Cottage Cheese
Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 pound rigatoni
- 10 ounces frozen baby spinach, thawed and drained well (can substitute 1 or 2 9-oz. bags fresh spinach)
- 12 ounces precooked smoked chicken, or turkey sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick (see note)
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, 4 ounces cut into 1/2-inch cubes and 4 ounces shredded
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic. Cook for another minute.
- Stir in tomatoes, oregano and basil; simmer for 8-10 minutes. Add cream; cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cook the pasta in the boiling water until about a minute less than the al dente package directions. (If using fresh spinach, add it to the pot of boiling pasta right at the end and cook until wilted.) Drain, and return contents to pot.
- Add tomato sauce, sausage, spinach and cubed mozzarella to the pot; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Scoop pasta into lightly greased 9X13-inch pan (or divide evenly between two 8X8-inch pans).
- Top with shredded mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake until browned and edges are crisp, 20 to 30 minutes.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food
Hey Mel, I don’t see when to drain the pasta and since there isn’t an amount of water, I am assuming this is not a one pot meal where you don’t drain it. I will figure it out, but I have read it a few times and don’t see it.
Hey Beth, the directions are probably a little confusing but at the end of step #3, it says to drain the pasta.
I am a ding dong. I found it the first time I read it this time. Sorry to bug you.
No worries! 🙂
Hi Mel, could you use chicken instead of a sausage meat in this meal? Thanks
Yes, I think that could be delicious, too!
Thank youfor sharing info on subbing in fresh spinach. Frozen spinach ranks up there with Lima Beans for me. ACK!
1 lb rigatoni cooked or uncooked? I am so bad with how much pasta to use!
Uncooked.
This was great! It was quick and had simple ingredients. I added an extra can of tomatoes as we like things with more sauce. Next time I might add red pepper. I really liked how this was a good make-ahead dish…I was able to prepare it a few hours ahead of time and then cook it when the time came. Thanks so much!!
Hi mel, like many of your recibes, this is another been aproved by my family..and
also my husband and he is not a fan of pasta dishes, thanks!!!
Hi Mel, I’m so glad I’ve found your blog and make-ahead meals! They are just what I’ve been looking for in the lead up to giving birth to my second child as I wanted some tasty meals that we can freeze and bake in the oven when needed. I’m just wondering, if I were to split meals such as this into two separate baking trays to serve 2-3 at a time, by how long would I need to reduce the cooking time by? Thanks so much in advance, Brooke
Brooke – Good luck with baby #2! If baking in a smaller pan, I’d reduce by 15-20 min and check often.
This recipe has taken a permanent spot in my meal planning. Simple, quick, delicious and feeds a croud. I make it according to the recipe but few times I didn’t have all the ingredients and I made some changes, turned out just as good. Love recipes like that.
One time I only had a 28oz can of crushed tomatoes and I used it in place of two 14 oz cans of diced and crushed. Worked great. One time I only had montery jack so I used it in place of mozzarella, also worked great. I used Italian sausage in place of chicken and I made it with and without spinach…. All combinations work great.
Thank you for the recipe.
I made this last night using Garlic Mozzarella Chicken sausage from Costco and it was fantastic! All 7 of us thought it was delicious and that’s hard to do! Thank you!
Mel, love your site. I just found out I am pregnant with twins with 3 kids already under 6..eeeek. Trying to get stuff done before I get to enormous and just want to lay on the couch all day. How long will this recipe stay good in the freezer? Thanks a bunch!
Malinda! Oh my goodness, I’m not going to lie, I’m kind of freaking out for you but excited at the same time. Congratulations! I wish I could make some meals for you! If sealed really well (I double layer the foil and then put the whole covered pan in a large freezer ziploc bag and try to press out all the air – or such it out with a straw, I know, weird) this will keep really well for a couple of months in the freezer. Oh, also make sure you let the casserole cool before wrapping up. That helps reduce freezer burn and ice crystals. Good luck!
I’m so excited! I used to make this years ago but have forgotten about it. I was looking through recipes and didn’t recognize the pics but then saw your update and remembered making this! We are having it for supper tonight :0) Thanks for helping me feed my family for the past six years!!
Awesome! I made this today and it is now my husband’s new favourite meal as well. Thanks so much for the wonderful recipe which is now a part of my collection.
Ok so first I have to say THANK YOU!! I have a VERY picky 18 month old and cooking has become very stressful as she has two older sisters and a daddy who like to eat… I made this tonight and she ate a plate FULL!! I couldn’t believe it. Will be making this again and again.
I made this last night and it was awesome! Thanks for the great recipe!
I recently made this for a friend who just had a baby. She and her husband RAVED over it!!! GREAT recipe. Thanks so much!!!!
I never think to add cream to my sauce and it adds such elegant and smoothness. This is better than GOOD!
This recipe looks awesome and I am planning on making a big batch and dividing them up into freezer meals for our family and for my inlaws and was really excited to find a recipe that you can bake from frozen. Two questions- do you have any more like this? And- it seems like an awful long baking time. Have you reheated it from frozen and does it take the full 2 hours? Thanks so much!!
Hi Jean – here’s a link to other meals I’ve successfully frozen:
http://www.melskitchencafe.com/recipe-index#freezable
Yes, it takes the full 2 hours, especially if baking it straight out of the freezer.
Making this right now to split in half for tomorrow’s dinner–half for my husband and I, half to deliver to some friends who recently had a baby! It looks delicious right now and I can’t wait to try it! Using italian sausage instead of turkey, and got the diced tomatoes pre-seasoned with italian seasonings (as well as adding in more basil and oregano) because we love the extra kick of flavor! I don’t usually comment on recipes but I have to say I love the idea of wilting the fresh spinach right in there with the pasta water–brilliance! I never would have thought of doing that!
Hi Mel! I made this tonight with great success. I used some leftover breakfast sausage and it was great. Half is going into the freezer for a quick meal another day.
Michelle – if I am baking from frozen, I usually decrease to 350 so the bottom doesn’t get burned (unless I’ve defrosted it in the fridge overnight – then I stick with 400 degrees).
Hi Mel, I just made this for the first time and really enjoyed it. 🙂 I just wanted to confirm, since I’m sending a frozen portion of this to a friend- when you bake it from frozen, is it at 400º just like when baking it fresh? Thanks!
Absolutely loved this! Made it for another couple and the 4 of us ate it ALL! I used turkey sausage, which was wonderful and I am thinking about trying it with kielbasa for russian christmas in a few weeks. Thanks!!
I made this recipe tonight for my parents and they absolutely LOVED it!! I recently tried your unbelievable chocolate cake and that was also sooo delicious. thank you for posting such amazing recipes. Im officially obsessed with cooking off of your site! 🙂
Made this for dinner last night. Used italian sausage instead because it’s all I had- was DELICIOUS! Entire family loved it, including my picky 7 year old son (although he didn’t try the spinach!) Thanks for your wonderful recipes that are always a hit!
The Other Mel : )
totally loving this over here in germany too! we used chicken breast but it was divine! awesome recipe, thanks so much!!!
This was fabulous! I did make a few changes: used lean ground turkey instead of sausage (cause that’s what I had on hand) and cooked it with the onion and garlic, used half-and-half cream, and made it with penne instead of rigatoni. It was still delicious! Thanks for another great recipe!
Totally made this tonight!! It was Absolutely Amazing!! And guess what? I left out the heavy cream by total accident or shear blindness. It was too die for!! I must say I did add an extra 8oz of Mozzarella b/c well I’m addicted to cheese! Thanks again for another great recipe!! 🙂
Hi Mel,
I’m making this tomorrow night (can’t wait to try it) and am wondering if you have ever used fresh basil? If I use fresh basil, how much do you think i should use?
Thank you!
Kristen – if using fresh basil, I would use about a tablespoon.
Thanks for this awesome recipe. 🙂
Question — one of the discrepancies between this updated version and your first one is that you said you typically double the amount of spinach in the recipe.
Do you still do that or have you changed your ways? Hehe.
Jessica – well, to be honest, it depends on my mood. I’d say half the time I double it, half the time I don’t – and it is great either way!
This is one of the best pasta dishes I have ever made. I’m so excited to make it again!
Love this dish. I’ve made it several times so far. I really like grilling some apple chicken sausage and throwing that in there instead of the precooked stuff. Thanks for making my life so much easier. Meal planning use to be so hard for me but your blog has helped make it so much less painful 🙂
I JUST tried this! It was amazing! This week I’ve tried your chicken lo mein, chicken gyros, and this and they have all received RAVE reviews from my family! THANKS
Hi Mel! I’m new to you website (and cooking really, my mom never cooked when I was growing up so now, at 26, I’m teaching myself). I made this dish last night and just like you and everyone else said, it is AMAZING. My boyfriend almost cried he was so happy. The SAUSAGE! Where has it been all my life! That stuff is just wonderful.
Anyways, thank you for your website and all the scrumptiousness. I can’t wait to make something else!
I actually saw this receipt over at whatmegansmaking.blogspot.com, but she credited you with it and I wanted to give credit where it’s due. I made this dish tonight and really enjoyed it. Loved the flavor that the smoked chicken sausage added, and since I don’t eat meat it was nice to have chicken called for in the original recipe. Thank you!
Jessica B. – so glad you loved this one! Thanks for taking the extra time to come back here and comment.
So I posted to you earlier this week about my My Kitchen Cafe December Marathon of Meals, this was #2 recipe and HOLY CRAP! It was so delicious. I followed the recipe almost exactly–except, they didnt have the already cooked chicken sausage in the grocery store I happen to stop in to grab the rest of the ingredients. So I bought regular sweet turkey sausage links, cut them open and then browned the sausage crumbles, then added the onions, garlic etc. I think I actually made a smart move for me because I dont love sausage. So I like it hidden in my meals for flavor but I dont want to bite into it. I also want to add more cubes of mozz. because well I have a slight cheese addiction. But when you said it was something you would get in a restaurant and not cooked in your chicken, that is how I felt. It came out so good, and was so easy and I can picture doing smaller individual portions in larger ramekins and serving it with an antipasta salad. It would be a great buffet dish as well. I am so happy this recipe came into my life because it is going to become a quick classic.
Juliann – I’m loving your “mealathon” – so far so good, right? Glad you loved this one, too, and I think your individual-ramekin-idea is brilliant, by the way.
I enjoyed this! It was easy to prepare and I really liked the sweetness the red onion added. At the last minute I realized that I didn’t have crushed tomatoes so I eliminated the basil and oregano and subed homemade tomato sauce for it and it was still amazing. I used par cooked brocoli instead of spinach because, for some reason, spinach scares my husband. I also couldn’t find chicken sausage so I used turkey kielbasa instead. I would use a spicier sausage if I was only making for myself but the mildness of the turkey kielbasa seems to satisfy my husband and 2 year old. I divided the recipe into 2 8X8 pans and froze one for later. Can’t wait to pull it out on a busy night.
Amy – glad you liked this one and as always, thanks for including your changes!
I made this tonight, and it was fantastic! I couldn’t find chicken sausage, so I used turkey, and it was very tasty. Even my 18 month old baby, food snob extraordinaire that she is, loved it! Thanks!
Emily – I’m glad you liked this and especially that your resident food snob loved it, too!
I made this today (with turkey sausage) and it was really yummy, but I’m curious if using a white/yellow onion or regular pork/beef sausage would make that much of a difference? I went to the store specifically for the red onion, but I’m wondering if the flavor of that specific onion makes that much of a difference. I almost think there would be even more flavor using regular sausage, but might that also make the dish more greasy, and that’s why chicken/turkey sausage is used?
Shannon – the reason for the chicken/turkey sausage is to cut calories and grease. So, you are right that regular sausage might have more flavor but you also get the calories to go along with that (which some people may not mind). As for the onion, you could probably use whatever you have on hand. I prefer the red onion for it’s milder taste but you are probably right, the onion doesn’t matter so much.
Thanks for the great recipe- we loved it.
Thanks, Talaya – glad you liked this!
Oh.My.Heck. This was AWESOME! We loved, loved, loved it. Thanks Melanie!
Thanks, Melissa!
I made this last night… my good friend was over and my boyfriend… both of them went back for second and third helpings… it was a huge hit… I love all of your recipes… I mentioned making this on my blog and linked everyone over to the recipe and your site… I hope people enjoy the recipes as much as I do!!! Thanks!
Natalie – I saw your blog post on this and it made me laugh. I’m glad you finagled some of the pasta bake after you boyfriend and friend already started digging in!
I’m adding you to my “favorites”. I can’t wait to try your recipes and you’re an incredible journalist. Thank you. Donna
Anonymous – yes, you can use whipping cream!
Steph – thank you for your comment! How nice are you?? I’m so glad that you liked this meal and love that you got away with reducing calories and still loved the end result. Thanks for letting me know!
Hey! Another amazing meal, you really are the BEST cook alive! I find the BEST chicken sausage at Costco (in the “fresh food” area by the meats) and I also substituted skim milk for the cream. It turned out amazing. My husband and I were literally fighting over the last bites. Yummy!
Hi Melanie! I have whipping cream, can I use that in place of the heavy cream?
Thanks!
Melanie C. – so glad this meal was a hit and that your 3 1/2 particularly enjoyed it! I think the sausage that you used is perfect – I usually buy the Jennie-O brand but I think it is basically the same thing. I love your tip on the wilted spinach. I’ll definitely be doing it that way next time!
Melanie, you did it again!! made this for dinner tonight, and we all loved it!! even my 3 1/2 year old boy really liked eating the ‘noodles’ (he calls ANY pasta noodles), and the little pieces of sausage. DELICIOUS!
some people seemed confused about the sausage, I assumed you meant smoked sausage. I bought Hillshire Farms turkey smoked sausage, and it worked great. I also used Barilla Whole Grain penne for the pasta. I used a big bag of FRESH baby spinach, and what I did is when I drained the pasta, I put all the spinach in the pasta pot, and poured the VERY hot, drained pasta down over the spinach, and let it set for a few minutes to kind of wilt it down. this was a very easy way to do it, and the spinach still had quite a bit of texture to it, even after baking.
definitely going in my regular rotation, and looking forward to leftovers!!
Hello again Melanie! You keep saving my dinner table! 🙂 And I love this recipe so much I want to share it with my ward members in our Church Ward Newsletter. If I give credit to you would you be okay with that? I love, love LOVE this pasta! Talking about it makes me want to eat it tomorrow…but no, I’m fixing the Tuscan bake…decisions, decisions!
Allison – you and I must be kindred spirits because this dish is one of my favorites, too! I don’t mind at all if you include it in your Church Newsletter? Would you mind including a link to my blog or the recipe? Thank you. I hope you like the Tuscan Pasta Bake!
Thanks Melanie! I will include the name of the dish, your name, and the URL! And yes, we loved the Tuscan Bake (even with me putting the cheese and the tomatoes on too early! Oops!) 🙂 Allison (marcroftfam-at-verizon.net)