This insanely delicious sausage pasta bake tastes exactly like a lasagne but with much less effort. Cooked pasta in a creamy tomato sauce flavoured with sausages and crispy bacon and topped with parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Baked to golden perfection, this dish is truly one the whole family will enjoy. I promise, you will love this.
Hello! There are certain dishes I get really excited writing up as I just KNOW you'll love it. As much as I absolutely love my best bolognese sauce (and lasagne bolognese) this has as much flavour but takes such little time in comparison. A little more doable for a busy weeknight but also impressive enough to cook for family and friends.
It is super simple to make using a mixture of pork and beef sausages to flavour the slightly creamy tomato sauce. Crisp bacon adds some punch and the mixture of parmesan and mozzarella give a melty but golden topping. If this is your first time making a pasta bake, you're in for a real treat!
Main ingredients
Pasta - Baked ziti is the traditional option but not always easy to find so you could use penne pasta or elicoidali like I have. Undercooking it by a minute or two from package directions is key to make sure it is still al dente after baking.
Bacon - I like to use streaky bacon but use whatever you like.
Sausages - Using raw sausages instead of pure ground meat adds so much more flavour. I use a combination of pork and fennel and beef sausages. Use whatever you like, you could use all pork or all beef. Alternatively you could use chicken sausage too.
Tomato passata - this is a smooth tomato sauce which can also be called tomato puree. It is NOT tomato paste. It makes the meat sauce thicker and more luscious. I tested this recipe first with canned tomatoes and the sauce was a lot thinner as canned tomatoes are more watery. If you can't find passata then substitute for 2 x 400g cans tomatoes. Puree them really well. You could also use a marinara sauce.
Cream - This makes the sauce texture so luscious and really helps give it that lasagne feel. Use a light or single cream, heavy cream is too thick.
Cheese - This is quite a cheesy sausage pasta bake! There is a mix of parmesan and mozzarella cheese. I use parmesan in the actual pasta sauce as well as on top. Try and find a block of mozzarella so you can grate it yourself.
How to make sausage pasta bake
How to make the sauce
- Get a large pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta.
- Over a medium-high heat, fry the bacon in a large skillet or Dutch oven until crisp and golden, set aside.
- Lower to a medium heat, cook the onion until soft and then add the garlic and fennel seeds. Add a drizzle of olive oil if you need.
- Add the sausage meat and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon until almost cooked through.
- Add the passata and cream and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the cooked bacon back in along with the parmesan cheese and lemon juice and let it gently simmer on a low heat while you cook the pasta.
How to assemble
- When the pasta is drained and ready, reserve a cup of the sausage tomato sauce mixture and set aside.
- Mix the pasta into the remaining meat sauce.
- In a 9 x 13 inch (or there abouts) casserole dish place half of the pasta mixture into an even layer.
- Sprinkle the lemon zest on top evenly then follow with the parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
- Place the other half of the pasta mix on top then the remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown on top. You can cover with some aluminum foil if it is browning too quickly.
Recipe FAQs
There is so much flavour going on here so I would serve with a simple side salad and some crusty bread! My favourite side for pasta it to cut some iceberg lettuce (or cos) into wedges, drizzle with your favourite salad dressing and some grated parmesan cheese or panko breadcrumbs.
Yes absolutely! Assemble the pasta bake then wait for it to cool completely before storing in the fridge or freezer. If freezing then let it defrost for 24 hours in the fridge. It will need to be cooked longer in the oven if cooking from the fridge the next day, add an extra 10 minutes and cover with foil if it gets too brown.
It's the perfect meal to store after! Transfer portions to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3 - 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Traditionally it is ziti and penne is very similar to that. I have used a but have also tested it with rigatoni pasta and it was perfect.
Want some other delicious recipes to try?
I have lots of pasta dishes I know you will come to love and depend on! If you love a meaty sauce and have a bit more time then please make my White Pork Ragu! The original recipe that inspired this sauce is my Creamy Tomato and Sausage Pasta. For another baked option look no further than my Nduja Mac and Cheese.
Made this recipe and loved it?
I would love love LOVE if you could leave me a review down below and let me know what you thought! I love to hear any changes or adaptions you have made too. Also if you put a photo on instagram, please tag me so I can see, it makes my day!
PrintRecipe
Easy and Delicious Sausage Pasta Bake
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 people
Description
This insanely delicious sausage pasta bake tastes exactly like a lasagne but with much less effort. Your friends and family will be wowed!
Ingredients
400 grams pasta, I used elicoidali but penne, ziti or rigatoni will work
1 tablespoon butter
250 grams bacon, cut into bite size pieces
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ teaspoons fennel seeds
500 grams sausages, meat squeezed out of casings (see notes)
690 gram jar of passata (see notes)
⅔ cup light or single cream
100 grams parmesan, divided and finely grated
1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus the zest
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ - ½ teaspoon sea salt
300 grams mozzarella, grated (see notes)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350f (180c)
- Heat the butter in a large skillet or dutch oven over a medium - high heat and fry the bacon until golden, about 10 minutes.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the drippings behind.
- Turn the heat down slightly and add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes until soft.
- Add the garlic and fennel seeds and cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Add the sausage meat, you might need to turn the heat back up slightly.
- Cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon until pretty much cooked through. 5 - 6 minutes.
- Get the pasta cooking in a big pot of well salted water.
- Add the passata and cream to the sausage mixture and bring to a very gentle simmer.
- Add 40 grams of the parmesan in and mix in until melted.
- Add the bacon back in along with the lemon juice and pepper then taste to see how much salt to add. You want it on the saltier side as the pasta will dilute it.
- Very gently simmer the sauce on a low heat for 10 mins while the pasta cooks. You could alternatively cook the pasta first, drain it and toss with a teaspoon of butter while you make the sauce.
- Cook the pasta a minute or two shorter than what the packet says. Very important as you don't want it to overcook in the oven.
- Reserve a cup of the sauce and set aside then mix the cooked pasta into the rest of it.
- See photos above for assembly.
- In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish (22cm x 33cm) place half of the pasta mixture.
- Top with an even sprinkling of the lemon zest and then 100 grams of the mozzarella and 30 grams of the parmesan.
- Top with the remaining pasta then evenly distribute the extra cup of sauce over the top in dollops.
- Top with the remaining 200 grams of mozzarella and remaining 30 grams of parmesan.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the top is nicely golden brown.
- Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving and enjoy!
Notes
Ingredient notes:
Fennel seeds - Leave these out if you wish, I recommend using pork and fennel sausages as they give so much flavour. I add the extra fennel seeds as I just love it.
Sausages - Use any sausages you like. I use 50% pork and fennel and 50% beef. You could use all pork or all beef. Whatever you like personally will work. Snip the ends and squeeze out the filling.
Passata - This is readily available here but I think is called tomato puree in America. It's smooth and slightly thick and is the best thing to use in sauces. You can substitute for 2 x 400g canned tomatoes and puree them really well but they are more watery so your sauce might be a touch thinner.
Mozzarella - Try and buy a square/block so you can grate yourself. The packet pre grated mozz generally has nasty additives. Don't use the fresh balls of mozzarella.
The cheeses in general - Sorry if all the different cheese measurements are confusing! I have put the full amount you need in ingredient list. 100 grams of parmesan split into 40g for in the sauce and 30g x 2 layers in final dish. Mozzarella is 300g total, 100g in middle layer and 200g on top.
- Cook Time: 1 hour
Jane says
Ingredients list underway, looking forward to another of your delicious recipes tonight.
★★★★★
Martha says
This is one of the best pasta dishes I've ever made in my life. Seriously, sooooo good. The sauce is amazing, I was eating it straight out of the pan. This will be going into regular rotation at my house!
★★★★★
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Martha, so glad you loved it!! I definitely stood at my bench eating it straight out of the pan too! Thanks so much for making it 🙂
Mandy says
So delicious and easy to make. Would cook again!
★★★★★
Emilie Pullar says
Thank you so much for making it Mandy! X
Helen B says
Show me a better recipe for a wet and cold London October night! So good: rich and comforting: but also packed with flavour (the addition of lemon zest really elevates!). Thanks for sharing x
★★★★★
Emilie Pullar says
Thanks so much for making it Helen! The most perfect rainy day food ever 🙂
Christine says
Been excited to make this since you first posted it. And wow it didn’t disappoint! Absolutely delicious! I’m already excited about some leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Thanks for a yummy and easy recipe
★★★★★
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Christine! Thanks so much for making it and so glad you enjoyed!! 🙂