Hearty pasta with sausage, melty cheese, and rich tomato sauce for easy, budget-friendly dinners.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 1 lb penne or fusilli pasta
→ Sausage
02 - 1.1 lb budget pork sausages, casings removed
→ Vegetables & Sauce
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 can (14 oz) chopped tomatoes
06 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
07 - 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
08 - 1/2 tsp chili flakes (optional)
09 - 1 tbsp olive oil
10 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Cheese
11 - 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
12 - 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
→ Garnish
13 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
# Cooking Steps:
01 - Set the oven temperature to 400°F.
02 - Boil pasta in salted water until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add sausage meat, breaking it apart, and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
04 - Add chopped onion to the skillet and cook 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
05 - Incorporate chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, dried herbs, chili flakes (if used), salt, and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
06 - Mix cooked pasta with the sausage sauce in a large bowl. Stir in half of the mozzarella and cheddar cheeses.
07 - Transfer mixture to a baking dish. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and cheddar evenly on top.
08 - Bake for 20 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.
09 - Allow to cool 5 minutes before serving. Optionally, garnish with chopped parsley.
