While zoodles (zucchini noodles) are a healthy and popular alternative to pasta, sometimes you just need the real deal when it comes to enjoying comfort food. A baked pasta recipe like this has all the necessities of good old-fashioned comfort food, including carbs, cheese, and a little bit of heartiness.
During the cooler seasons, we tend to crave warm food that requires minimal effort but provides maximum pleasure. The idea that you can pop something into the oven so you can get back to the sofa under your cozy blanket is definitely appealing to us.
More than that, we love that the finished recipe is just as enticing as our spot on the couch. A big bowl of this sausage and kale baked pasta is as inviting and comforting as a warm spot nestled between the couch cushions.
To make this baked pasta recipe, spicy Italian sausage is sautéed with garlic and chopped kale, then stirred together with crushed red tomatoes. This mixture is combined with penne pasta then topped with cheese before it goes in the oven.
The end result is a cheesy, hearty baked pasta recipe that you’ll find yourself swooning over, bite after bite. Moreover, if you want to make this recipe ahead of time, you easily can. Simply cover your baking dish with a sheet of foil and refrigerate overnight or until you’re ready to bake, or freeze and bake later until heated through.
For more fall recipes, check out our collection here.
Summary |
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Cook time: 25 minutes
Prep time: 10 minutes
Idle time:
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Level
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Servings:
Unit:
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Ingredients
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb hot Italian sausage casing removed
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups chopped kale
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add a tablespoon of salt and the penne pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions or until it's tender. Drain the pasta.
- While the pasta is cooking, warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the sausage and use a wooden spoon to break apart the sausage into small pieces. Cook the sausage until it's browned.
- Add the garlic and kale to the skillet and sauté until the kale has wilted. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the crushed tomatoes.
- To the drained pasta, add the sausage mixture from the skillet and gently toss to combine. Pour the pasta into a casserole dish (9" by 13" works well).
- Sprinkle the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses over the pasta, then bake for about 15 minutes until the cheese is gooey and bubbling.
Additional information
Recipe adapted from livinglou.com
