Baked penne with Italian sausage has everything you want in baked pasta.  Creamy ricotta and mozzarella are tossed with penne and layered with an easy sausage tomato sauce, then baked until the mozzarella is melted and penne is lightly crisp on the top.  Perfect for those cooler nights when you just want to cozy up with a hearty baked pasta and a glass of red.

Gloves holding baked penne pasta in black baking dish.


I have never met a baked pasta I didn’t like.  

Layers of pasta, cheese, and sauce all baked together until the top is lightly browned.  And those crispy noodles on the top layer – I cannot get enough of them!

Baked penne with sausage is perfect alongside some sauteed broccoli rabe with garlic, or even a side green salad.

Ingredients shown: penne, wine, tomatoes, ricotta, mozzarella, Pecorino, onion, garlic, and Italian sausage.

How to make it

Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.

  1. Begin by slicing 4 cloves of garlic.  Also, dice 1 medium onion.
Baked penne with Italian sausage recipe process shot collage group number one.
  1. In a large high-walled pan or pot, saute the onion in a 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium heat until soft (about 5 minutes).  
  2. Add 1.5 pounds of mild Italian sausage and saute the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through (about 7-10 minutes).
Recipe process shot collage group number two.
  1. Create an open spot in the pan and add the garlic.  Saute for 3 minutes or until golden, then add a 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds more.
  2. Turn heat to high and add a 1/2 cup of dry white wine.  With a wooden spoon scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any brown flavor bits and continue to cook until most of the wine evaporates (about 2 minutes).
Recipe process shot collage group number three.
  1. Turn the heat down to medium and add two 28-ounce cans of high-quality crushed plum tomatoes.  Bring the sauce to a simmer and season with salt and pepper to taste.  At this time you can turn the heat lower to gently simmer and begin boiling the penne pasta.  Cook the pasta in salted water (2 tablespoons kosher salt per gallon of water) until 2 minutes less than al dente.  Also preheat the oven to 375f and set the rack to the middle level.
  2. In a very large bowl mix the undercooked pasta with 4 cups of the sausage sauce, 3/4 pound of shredded mozzarella, 1 pound ricotta, and a 1/2 cup of Pecorino Romano.  
Recipe process shot collage group number four.
  1. In a 9×13, or better yet a 10×15 baking dish, add a thick layer of the sausage sauce to the bottom of the dish.  Spread it out then pour in the pasta.
  2. Layer a bit more sauce on the top of the pasta and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 pound of mozzarella cheese.  Bake for 25 minutes or until browned on top.
Recipe process shot collage group number five.
  1. For extra color broil for 1-2 more minutes but watch carefully! Wait at least 10 minutes before eating so that the pasta settles. Enjoy!
Large wooden spoon holding baked pasta with cheese.

Top tips

  • The pasta.  Make sure you undercook your pasta.  In the recipe, I say to cook until 2 minutes less than al dente.  The pasta box will usually state the al dente cooking time.  This is important because if the pasta is not undercooked, it will become mushy and lose its bite during the baking process when it continues to cook.  If you like mushy pasta, then fully cook it, but I’ve found that the majority of folks would rather their baked pasta have a firmer al dente texture.
  • The sausage.  If you can find bulk Italian sausage, you can definitely opt for that as you’ll save yourself the step of removing the sausage from the casing.  If you need to remove it from the casing, simply make a slice down the sausage and free the meat from the casing.  I used fennel sausage for this recipe but experiment with what works for you.  Spicy sausage, parsley and cheese, or any other variety of Italian sausage would be great here as well!
  • Avoid sticking.  Adding a thick layer of sauce to the bottom of the pan will help prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom and will therefore save you cleaning time afterward.  
  • The wine.  I used white wine for this recipe.  I absolutely love the combination of sausage and white wine in sauces, such as in Pasta alla Norcina and this creamy Italian sausage pasta.  That being said, if you prefer to use red wine, you can certainly do so.
Baked sausage pasta in white plate on walnut cutting board.

More perfect baked pasta recipes

Looking for more baked pasta recipes?  Look no further – here are my absolute favorites.

  • Lasagna pie – mafaldine, mozzarella, ricotta, and meat sauce baked in a skillet until golden and crisp.
  • Spaghetti pie – White spaghetti pie with fontina, Pecorino Romano, and black pepper.
  • Chili mac and cheese – hearty beef chili plus creamy mac and cheese for the ultimate comfort meal!

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Baked Penne with Italian Sausage

5 from 30 votes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 8
Penne pasta is tossed with ricotta and mozzarella and layered with a hearty sausage sauce and baked until crisp and bubbly.

Ingredients 

For the sauce

  • 1/4 cup (60g) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 1/2 pounds (680g) bulk Italian fennel sausage or remove from sausage casings
  • 4 cloves garlic sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes optional
  • 2 28-ounce can plum tomatoes hand crushed or blender pulsed
  • 1/2 cup (120g) dry white wine
  • salt and pepper to taste

Remaining ingredients

  • 1 pound (454g) penne pasta or ziti, rigatoni, etc
  • 1 pound (454g) shredded mozzarella divided
  • 1 pound (454g) ricotta
  • 1/2 cup (45g) grated Pecorino Romano

Instructions 

For the sauce

  • In a large pan or pot saute the onion in olive oil for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the sausage to the pan and spread it out while breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage until browned then add the garlic and cook for 2-3 more minutes or until fragrant. Add the hot red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds more.
  • Add the wine to the pan and turn the heat to high. Once the wine mostly evaporates turn the heat back down to medium and add the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Taste test the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the sauce simmer on low and move to the next step.

Assembling the baked sausage penne

  • Preheat oven to 375f and set the rack to the middle level.
  • While the sauce is simmering bring a large pot of salted water to boil (2 tablespoons kosher salt per gallon of water). Cook pasta until 2 minutes less than al dente.
  • Prepare a 9 by 13 baking dish by placing a 1/4 inch thick layer of sauce on the bottom.
  • Place 4 cups of sauce into a large bowl and add the pasta. Also, add the ricotta, Pecorino Romano, and 3/4's of the shredded mozzarella. Mix well.
  • Pour the pasta into the baking dish. Top with a thin layer of sauce and the remaining mozzarella. Bake for 25 minutes or until browned on top. For extra color broil for 1-2 more minutes but watch carefully! Wait at least 10 minutes before eating so that the pasta settles. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Makes 8 moderate-sized or 4-6 large portions.
  • Undercook the pasta! Fully boiled pasta will become mushy after baking for another 30 minutes, so shoot for a bit firmer than al dente or about 2 minutes less than the box instructions.
  • Put a hefty layer of the sausage sauce on the bottom of the baking dish to avoid sticking.
  • Bake the pasta until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned on top.  For extra color, broil for 1-2 minutes, but watch very carefully to avoid burning.
  • Leftover sauce can be saved or served on the side or used for bread dipping.

Nutrition

Calories: 872kcal | Carbohydrates: 54.6g | Protein: 47.2g | Fat: 50.6g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 1134mg | Potassium: 405mg | Fiber: 3.9g | Sugar: 8.5g | Calcium: 525mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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5 from 30 votes (9 ratings without comment)

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62 Comments

  1. Vin says:

    5 stars
    Excellent baked pasta. The best. I followed your recipe exactly and it did not disappoint. I used a combination of bulk spicy Italian sausage and sweet Italian sausage. My only addition was to add fresh basil to the sauce. You show a sprig of basil in your photo, but not in your list of ingredients. I usually add two branches of basil (stems and leaves intact) to the sauce while it is cooking, and pluck them out after they blacken and have released their essential oils. This recipe is a keeper.

    1. Tara says:

      We’re so happy you enjoyed it, Vin!

  2. Yvette says:

    Is there a substitute for wine?

    1. Tara says:

      Hi Yvette, you can omit the wine entirely if you can’t have it.

  3. Leon Brinkmann says:

    5 stars
    Such a great recipe!

    Just wondering, how long can I store the leftovers in the fridge? Thanks in advance!

    1. Tara says:

      Leftovers can be stored for 3-5 days in the fridge.

  4. Lisa McCann says:

    5 stars
    I made this for my daughter and her family. I followed the recipe exactly. Instructions were clear and the recipe was easy to make. I felt good about serving this dish to my family because it is so loaded with nutritious ingredients (and, it’s also very delicious!). Everyone loved it. One of my grandsons is a notoriously picky eater, but he cleaned his plate and went back for seconds! Another Sip and Feast recipe that has earned a permanent place in my recipe collection.

    1. Tara says:

      Hi Lisa, we’re so happy you and your family enjoyed it! Thanks for the comment; we appreciate it!

  5. Maureen says:

    5 stars
    Soooooooo good! Made as written. Family loves it!

    1. Tara says:

      So happy you enjoyed it!

  6. Step Jeff says:

    5 stars
    Every time I make baked pasta I refer to your site, so don’t accidentally forget something. The only thing I did different this time was fresh basil with onions & garlic in olive oil, then add tomato paste, then garlic, then tomatoes etc. Made with rigatoni came out great 👍

  7. Tom Southworth says:

    Because of where we live, WV, I had to substitute the pecorino with Parmesan and the ricotta with cottage cheese. Also, I added a bit of oregano. I hope that’s not a form a blasphemy for this dish😎.

    In the oven now. Taste test for the sauce proved exceptional.

    I’ve used a few of your recipies for dinners at my lodge meetings. Never any left overs…and if there are, there’s a race to see who can get them to take home.

  8. Marilyn Tullgren says:

    So delicious!!! Thank you for allbthis fabulous food!!!

  9. Lisa Vance says:

    5 stars
    The sauce is great by itself!! I will use this for my next spaghetti night. I’m ready to put the pasta in the oven now. It looks and smells great and I’m sure we are going to love it! Thank you for your recipes! I made your Tortellini soup last week and it was out of this world!

  10. Rich says:

    After adding the crushed tomatoes, how long do you let the sauce simmer?

    1. Tara says:

      Hi Rich, you’ll begin boiling the pasta once the tomatoes are simmering so you’d simmer until the pasta is done to 2 minutes less than al dente.

  11. Maryannn Stanley says:

    5 stars
    I love this recipe. This the first time I’ve made the sausage sauce with wine . Perfecto