Cheesy sausage pasta bake with arugula and fresh mozzarella, that holds all delicious flavours of lasagna without the fuss, and comes together in one pan in under an hour. Perfect for weeknight dinners!

For an tasty unbaked sausage pasta, try Italian Sausage Pasta with Mushrooms!

sausage pasta baked with cherry tomatoes on top in round pan

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Whenever I need a dinner guaranteed to be a hit with everyone, I turn to this simple sausage pasta bake. This recipe has been on a regular rotation in our house for years and we never get tired of it.

During busy times I am so thankful for Italians and their invention of pasta, especially thick and chewy, smothered in melty mozzarella.

This pasta recipe is the definition of clever shortcuts in the kitchen, that produce comfort food. We are big lasagna fans but cooking it is a lengthy process. This cheesy sausage pasta delivers the flavours of the lasagna but significantly cuts down on the prep time.

side view of sausage pasta casserole with a hand holding a spoon

Ingredients

As I mentioned above, this baked sausage and arugula pasta is a quick and easy spin on lasagna. Same flavours, less fuss.

short pasta such as fusilli, penne or your favourite kind
good quality sausage
good quality This is an affiliate link.crushed tomatoes
garlic, basil and fennel seeds (the latter ingredient is optional but recommended)
arugula or spinach
fresh mozzarella balls or shredded mozzarella
a handful or cherry tomatoes cut in half

Making the best Italian sausage pasta

The real shortcut in my cheesy pasta bake recipe is the use of sausages instead of ground beef since they cook quicker and are infused with so much flavour already.

Lots of herbs and spices that were added by the manufacturer bring flavour to the entire dish in a short amount of time.

Another flavour maker in this baked sausage pasta is fennel seeds. To me, they are the embodiment of southern Italy. They add this little je ne sais quoi to the whole dish I wouldn’t trade for anything.

Or to put it plainly, they add a touch of sweetness and infuse the tomato sauce with much fragrance.

Baked Fusilli with sausage, arugula and fresh mozzarella.

Adding sweet cherry tomatoes to the top your pasta casserole together with sliced fresh mozzarella and fresh basil leaves is not difficult or expensive to do but immediately turns this humble pasta bake into something special.

I’ve also tossed the pasta with fresh arugula/rocket before baking the pasta to balance out the sweetness of the tomato sauce with a touch of peppery taste. If you don’t like arugula, spinach would be a great substitute.

Lastly, use the best quality canned tomatoes you can find. Ripe and canned tomatoes taste sweet while under ripe tomatoes will be acidic, which will negatively impact the overall taste of your pasta bake.

Recipe tips and notes

Choose the best quality sausages you can find because the flavour they carry will go a long way in this dish. Pretty much any sausage variety can be used in this recipe, but a well-spiced sausage like Italian or Cumberland are ideal.
When making a baked pasta dish, it is important to stop boiling the pasta before it is fully cooked. The pasta will keep cooking when it is baking and if boiled for the full length of time listed on the package, it’ll end up overcooked and soggy. It’s best to remove the pasta from the boiling water when it is slightly undercooked, which is usually 2 minutes less than per instructions. This is the best way to end up with perfectly cooked, el dente pasta bake.

top down view of baked pasta topped with melted cheese and cherry tomatoes, bowls and glasses in the background.

Storage and leftovers

Pretty much the only thing wrong with pasta is how it keeps as leftovers. This isn’t to say that it won’t taste good. In fact, letting the flavours sit together for a little longer can make them more intense!

But sitting in the fridge will do the pasta no favours. That extra time almost always results in soggy, overdone pasta noodles.

But sometimes it just can’t be helped. If you do have leftovers, they can be stored in the fridge packed in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Reheat the pasta in a microwave or, even better, baked in an oven. Place the baked pasta in an oven preheated to 180C/350F and covered with aluminium foil for 15-20 minutes.

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