Find more ideas, recipes, crafts, and inspiration at mychinet.com.

Cheesy Pasta Bake

Cheesy pasta bake

This cheesy pasta bake represents comfort food at its finest with three types of cheese, spicy Italian sausage, and a hint of garlic.  

Thank you to culinary, fashion, and lifestyle blogger Lauren Nolan, @lakeshorelady, for this recipe.

Instax of a cheesy pasta bake in a baking dish next to Chinet Classic napkins
Ingredients

Steps

  • 1

    Preheat the oven to 375°F.

  • 2

    Cook pasta until just al dente.

  • 3

    Heat olive oil in a pot or Dutch oven. Remove the sausage from the casings and add in. Break up the meat as it cooks.

  • 4

    Add onion and garlic to the meat, along with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

  • 5

    When the onion starts to soften, add the crushed tomatoes.

  • 6

    Stir in a few handfuls of spinach and bring the sauce to a simmer.

  • 7

    After simmering for about 10 minutes, stir in 1/3 cup ricotta cheese. Taste again and add more salt, pepper, and/or red pepper flakes to your liking.

  • 8

    Stir the cooked pasta into the sauce.

  • 9

    Transfer 1/3 of the pasta to a baking dish.

  • 10

    Top with a dusting of parmesan cheese, a few small dollops of ricotta, and shredded mozzarella cheese.

  • 11

    Repeat this again with more pasta/ricotta/parmesan/mozzarella, then a final layer of pasta followed by a final bit of mozzarella cheese.

  • 12

    Bake the pasta for 20 minutes until the cheese on top is melted. Broil on low for 1-2 minutes if you like the top a little crisp. Watch carefully to avoid burning.

  • 13

    Serve on Chinet Classic® plates.