Hearty pasta dish with savory sausage, melty cheese, and rich tomato sauce, ideal for easy family dinners.
# Ingredient List:
→ Pasta
01 - 1 lb penne or fusilli pasta
→ Sausage
02 - 1.1 lb pork sausage meat, casings removed
→ Vegetables & Sauce
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 14 oz canned chopped tomatoes
06 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
07 - 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
08 - 1/2 tsp chili flakes (optional)
09 - 1 tbsp olive oil
10 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Cheese
11 - 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
12 - 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
→ Garnish (optional)
13 - Fresh parsley, chopped
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Boil pasta in salted water until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook sausage meat, breaking it up, until browned, about 5 minutes.
04 - Add chopped onion to the skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute.
05 - Add chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, dried herbs, chili flakes if using, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.
06 - In a large bowl, mix the cooked pasta with the sausage sauce. Stir in half of the mozzarella and cheddar cheeses.
07 - Transfer the mixture to a baking dish. Evenly sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and cheddar on top.
08 - Bake for 20 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbling.
09 - Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.
