We enjoy having people in our home, but part of what I find makes it enjoyable is not slaving in the kitchen ahead of time. I want to be talking with our guests, not hiding in the kitchen finishing up dinner. So when we have people over, I like to have a meal option that can not only be prepped ahead of time, but that doesn’t require any active labor while it’s cooking! This cheesy sausage pasta bake fits the bill, and it’s a big hit with both kids and grownups. Serve it with a salad and some garlic bread and you have a simple meal that can feed a crowd.

Cheesy Sausage Pasta Bake

This cheesy sausage pasta bake is also very versatile! You can use any smaller sized pasta (bowtie, fusilli, rigatoni, shells, etc.), any sauce you prefer, and you can even mix in other vegetables if you want. When I want to include a vegetable, I mix in frozen spinach between the layers.

The first step is to cook your pasta and drain it, and then cook your sausage and drain it, and shred your mozzarella cheese if it’s not already shredded. You’ll also want your sauce nearby. This pasta bake has five main layers: sauce, pasta, sausage, mozzarella, and then the filling, which you’ll make first.

The filling includes ricotta cheese, parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and an egg. This adds creamy goodness to the pasta bake. (Note: You can also use cottage cheese instead of ricotta; it will make the texture a bit different, but it’s still delicious!) You’ll stir together until it’s all combined.

Now you’re ready to start layering your pasta bake.

The first layer is sauce, just a thin layer.

Then you’ll spread half the pasta over the sauce.

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