Description
Make this easy, one-pot pizza pasta bake for a quick, family-friendly weeknight dinner. It combines your favorite pizza toppings with creamy, cheesy pasta baked until bubbly.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound dry penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 24 ounces pizza sauce
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup mini pepperoni slices
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown the Italian sausage over medium heat, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain off any excess grease.
- Add the chopped onion to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Stir in the pizza sauce, chicken broth, oregano, and basil. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Add the dry penne pasta to the sauce mixture. Stir well to coat the pasta completely.
- Cover the pot and cook on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the pasta is nearly tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Stir in the heavy cream, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, and the Parmesan cheese until the sauce is creamy.
- Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and the pepperoni slices.
- Bake uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the edges are slightly browned.
- Let the bake rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- For a supreme flavor, add 1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms and 1/4 cup of chopped green bell pepper when you cook the onion.
- If you prefer ground beef instead of sausage, use 1 pound of browned ground beef.
- You can use any short pasta shape you have on hand, such as rotini or shells.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 950
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 13
- Unsaturated Fat: 15
- Trans Fat: 0.5
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 65