Go Back

Cheesy Chicken Sausage Pasta Bake

Comforting baked pasta with sweet Italian chicken sausage, rich tomato cream sauce, and melty Pepper Jack cheese with a little kick—perfect for weeknight dinners.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 minute
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 790
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb rigatoni or ziti
  • 1 lb sweet Italian chicken sausage
  • 1 cup onion roughly chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves chopped
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2½ cups crushed tomatoes
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups Pepper Jack cheese shredded, divided
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Cook the pasta according to package instructions, drain, and set aside.
  2. Remove the casings from the sausage and crumble the meat.
  3. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the sausage, onion, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes until the sausage is browned and the onions are tender, about 10 minutes.
  4. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and heavy cream. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Combine the cooked pasta with the sauce, then stir in 1½ cups of the shredded Pepper Jack cheese.
  7. Transfer the mixture to a large casserole dish and top with the remaining ½ cup of Pepper Jack cheese.
  8. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve hot.

Notes

Pepper Jack adds a mild spicy kick to this pasta bake. For extra heat, increase the red pepper flakes. Leftovers keep well refrigerated for several days and reheat beautifully.