Description
This Cheesy Baked Mostaccioli is a comforting and flavorful Italian-American pasta bake that combines mostaccioli with a rich sausage marinara sauce, creamy ricotta, and layers of gooey mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 pound mostaccioli pasta (or penne)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or spicy, casings removed)
- 1 small yellow onion (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat and Cook Pasta: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Cook mostaccioli until al dente, then drain.
- Sauté Sausage and Prepare Sauce: Brown sausage in olive oil, add onion and garlic. Stir in marinara, crushed tomatoes, herbs, and seasonings. Simmer.
- Combine and Bake: Mix cooked pasta, sausage sauce, ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, and Parmesan. Transfer to greased baking dish, top with remaining mozzarella. Bake covered, then uncovered until golden and bubbly.
- Rest and Serve: Let it rest, garnish with parsley, and serve.
Notes
- Substitute ground beef or plant-based sausage
- Add sautéed spinach or mushrooms for extra veggies
- Freezes well—bake from frozen with extended time
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 generous portion
- Calories: 610
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 890mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
