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With a rich tomato sauce, savory sausage, and loads of gooey cheese, this Cheesy Sausage Pasta is utterly irresistible. Everything bakes and melts together to create a swoon-worthy dinner for any cheese or pasta lover. I just add a loaf of garlic bread, a crisp salad, and this is a meal worth repeating!
Is there a kid in the world who doesn’t love a cheesy pasta dinner? My kids have always enjoyed pasta like this. For a long time, they would have eaten mac and cheese every night of the week. But, as much as I like it too, that was a bit much for me. So, I got a lot of experience in making creamy, cheesy, meaty pastas similar to this one. You should try our creamy beef pasta, next!
Cheesy Sausage Pasta
Adding sausage to this recipe adds a whole lot of flavor with minimal effort. I keep an abundance of different sausage varieties on hand for quick meals like this cheesy sausage pasta. It adds so much flavor to a dish, without the need for a long list of seasonings or extra steps.
I like using hot breakfast sausage for the abundance of spices, but any sausage you like will work here. I’ve learned over the years that as long as the sausage is well seasoned, the rest of the dish practically takes care of itself.
This is such an easy pasta to make for a busy night. I added more red pepper for a kick and my husband loved it.
Ingredients and Substitutions
The Pasta – I choose penne or mini penne for this pasta because it traps the delicious sauce so nicely.
The Meat – Give hot sausage a try here. The lingering heat is ideal, and adds a wonderful dimension of flavor to this dish. Italian or breakfast sausage will work.
Cheese – I use an abundant amount of shredded mozzarella for that cheesy goodness.
The Sauce – Don’t make things harder than they have to be, here. Just grab a 26 ounce jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce.
The Garlic – Fresh garlic adds a delicious punch of flavor to this hearty pasta.
Salt and Pepper – I always taste the sauce before stirring in the pasta and adjust the salt and pepper to my liking. And, I only use kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
The Herbs – Chopped Italian parsley as the garnish is my favorite way to add a pop of bright, vibrant freshness to this dish.
Notes on Equipment
- Large pot
- Large oven-safe skillet
- Colander
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cheese grater – This rotary grater has been an absolute dream to work with over the past year. It chews through cheese, nuts, and vegetables with ease, saving me tons of prep time in the kitchen.
- Knife
- Cutting board
How to Make Cheesy Sausage Pasta
Boiling the Water: I fill a large pot with water and put it on a burner over high heat.
Preheating the Oven: While the water is coming to a boil, I position a rack in the center of my oven and preheat it to 350ºF.
Making the Pasta: Add the pasta to the water once it boils, and cook it according to package directions. You’ll want to pull it when it is al dente.
Browning the Sausage: I place a large, oven-safe skillet over medium high heat, using my hands to break the sausage up as I add it to the pan. Then, crumble the meat with a spatula or wooden spoon. Continue cooking until browned.
Draining the Pasta: When the pasta is al dente, I drain it with a colander. Then, just rinse it with cold water to stop it from cooking and sticking together.
Draining the Fat: If there is excess fat, you can remove it by pushing the browned sausage to the side and spooning the grease out.
Adding the Garlic: I stir in the minced garlic and continue cooking it just until fragrant, which should take less than 1 minute.
Pouring in the Sauce: Pour the pasta sauce over the browned sausage and stir well while bringing it to a simmer.
Getting Ready to Bake: When the sauce is bubbling, you’ll add the drained pasta and gently toss everything to coat it evenly. Then, stir half of the cheese into the mix. Top with the remaining shredded cheese.
Baking: Slide the skillet into the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the edges of the sauce are bubbling and the cheese has fully melted.
Garnishing and Serving: Let the pasta bake cool for five minutes. Then, sprinkle with parsley and serve warm.
Expert Tip
The key to crave-worthy pasta is to build as much flavor as possible, every step of the way. And, that starts with the meat. When cooking the sausage, make sure to let it brown well. This change in color is called a Maillard reaction, and it’s the secret to what makes seared meat taste so incredible. Those dark brown bits, seared by the bottom of the pan, are absolutely packed with flavor. So, don’t rush this step.
Add Something Extra – If you want to make this dish even more substantial, you can easily add in some chopped vegetables and mushrooms to this dish. If it’s up to me, I’ll add as many as I can rustle up from the refrigerator.
Is It Safe? – If you’re not sure whether your skillet is oven-safe, check the handle. If the skillet and handle are both cast-iron, stainless steel, or cast-steel, you’re good to go. Some manufacturers also note an oven rating on the bottom of the pan. But, err on the side of caution. If you can’t confirm that it’s safe, transfer the pasta to a baking dish.
Serving Suggestions
Cheesy sausage pasta is rich and satisfying all on its own, but I love pairing it with something fresh and vibrant to balance the flavors. This apple pecan and feta salad fits the bill beautifully, as does my broccoli cranberry salad.
A simple vegetable side adds a nice contrast to the creamy pasta and keeps the whole meal from feeling too heavy. And, a quick pan of sauteed asparagus never fails.
Make Ahead & Storage
Make Ahead: I like the texture of the pasta best when this dish is served fresh from the oven as it absorbs the sauce and becomes softer when it is stored. That said, leftovers are quite delicious!
How to Store: Transfer the leftover pasta to a container and let it cool at room temperature for 20 minutes before covering tightly and refrigerating for up to 3 days.
How to Reheat: Reheat individual portions in a microwave safe bowl with a splash of water. Microwave for about 2 minutes or until piping hot, stirring halfway through.
More Pasta Night Recipes
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
- Cajun Chicken and Shrimp Pasta
- Tuna Pasta Salad
- Macaroni and Cheese with Ham
- Tomato Bacon Pasta
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes and no. If you prefer al dente pasta, you may not enjoy the softer texture of the pasta after it has been frozen and thawed. If that doesn’t bother you, you can most certainly freeze this in individual portion sizes.
I do not, however, recommend freezing the entire dish to reheat later.
While I reach for hot Italian or spicy breakfast pork sausage as my preference for this dish, don’t let that stop you from branching out. Turkey sausage also works!
And if you’re out of sausage, you can also substitute in ground beef, pork, or turkey. But, you’ll need increase the seasoning to compensate for the seasoning that was in the sausage. Think granulated garlic and onion, some poultry seasoning, salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Yes, but you’ll miss out on the melting qualities of the mozzarella. If you do substitute other cheeses, make sure they melt well. Ideal options are pepper jack, Monterey jack, or cheddar. I do not recommend using all hard cheese because it just doesn’t provide as nice a texture when it melts into the sauce.
Absolutely! You can omit the sausage or use a plant-based sausage crumble in place of the pork sausage. Add in your favorite medley of vegetables and you’ve really got something!
Cheesy Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 ounces bite-size pasta
- 1 lb spicy Italian or hot breakfast sausage
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 26 ounces spaghetti sauce (use your favorite – homemade or store-bought)
- kosher salt, adjust to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, adjust to taste
- 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley
Instructions
- Cook the pasta until it is al dente. (Take care not to overcook.) Drain and rinse the pasta with cold water to stop it from continuing to cook while it cools.
- While the pasta is boiling, preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large skillet, cook and crumble the sausage over medium-high heat. Add the garlic cloves and continue cooking until fragrant. Add the spaghetti sauce, stir and bring to a simmer. Taste and add salt and pepper, if desired.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir to mix throughout. Sprinkle with 2 cups of cheese, stir to combine. Top with an additional 2 cups of cheese.
- Bake until the cheese has thoroughly melted and the edges are bubbling, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Sprinkle with parsley and serve warm.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 2/2/21 – recipe notes and photos updated 3/19/26}
Why do people continue to rinse pasta with cold water? Just boil to “just before” al dente instead. You end up rinsing all of the salt infused in by the boiling process – not to mention that it inhibits sauce from clinging to the pasta.
Feel free to do things your way and I’ll do things mine, Anne. While I’m now quite comfortable pulling pasta from cooking at “just before” al dente, there were many years when I wasn’t and the only way I knew for certain that I would nail the cooking time was to rinse in cold water when it was perfectly done. So, I continue to use that as an illustration in many recipes and it is helpful for many readers who are less experienced cooks. And it certainly doesn’t inhibit the sauce from sticking to the pasta when the pasta is allowed to dry before continuing with the recipe.
I didn’t see a oven temp, but I assume it’s the usual 350-375 F
Thanks for catching that, Randy! You’re correct. The oven temp should be 350°F. I’ve corrected the recipe card. Thanks again!
I can’t wait to try this
Please do! And let us know how it turns out for you, Kaysha.
Would this work well to freeze? Trying to make some freezer meals for a mama and not sure if this would work well and if I would freeze it before baking and what instructions I would give her to bake it through
This should freeze nicely in an airtight container. I typically thaw meals in the fridge overnight and then bake as directed.
This is such an easy pasta to make for a busy night. I added more red pepper for a kick and my husband loved it.
I bet the extra heat is great in this!