Baked Penne with Italian Sausage
It’s Pasta AND Hockey Monday in our house which means hearty one-pot meals need to come to our rescue. Thus one starts on the stovetop and finishes in the oven for gooey cheese perfection.
Baked Penne with Italian Sausage
One-pot meals are the best!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 medium onion
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed
- 2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp Italian Seasoning Mix
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 cups water
- 8 oz fresh whole milk mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 475°F. Heat the oil in 6-qt. Dutch Oven over medium heat for 3–4 minutes.
- Finely chop the onion.
- Cook the sausage for 1–2 minutes, then break into crumbles. Add the onion and garlic; cook until the sausage is no longer pink, about 5–6 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Simmer 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the water and pasta; cook until the pasta is almost al dente, about 10 minutes. (Since the pasta continues to cook in the oven, it’s best if not cooked all the way through.)
- Cut the mozzarella into small cubes.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan. Top with the mozzarella. Bake, uncovered, until the cheese is melted, about 7–8 minutes.
