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This recipe for baked pasta with chicken sausage was super easy and had everything you need (starch, veggie, and meat) all in one dish.  Those are the easiest and best kind of meal in my eyes!  This is a wonderful dish to serve to guests – it tastes like it’s straight out of a restaurant!
This is a baked pasta casserole dinner recipe with chicken sausage, spinach, and tomato that is restaurant quality. Delicious!
This baked pasta with chicken sausage was another winning recipe for Mr. Wishes and I.  The best part about my blog, according to me, is that these recipes have been tried, tested and true.  This way you don’t have to waste your time on a sub-par meal, like beginner cooks like myself often do.  And I would never steer you wrong…….or would I? ;o)  I might just leave out a vital ingredient or two once in a while to set you up for failure – just call me “Marie Barone” (for those of you “Everybody Loves Raymond” fans).
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Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Serves: about 6
 
This is a baked pasta casserole recipe with chicken sausage, spinach, and tomato that is restaurant quality. Delicious!
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium red onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 (14.5 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 pound rigatoni
  • 10 ounces frozen baby spinach, thawed and drained well (can substitute 1 9-oz. bag fresh spinach)
  • 12 ounces precooked smoked chicken sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
  • 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, 4 ounces cut into ½-inch cubes and 4 ounces shredded
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  3. Add onion; cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic. Cook for another minute.
  4. Stir in tomatoes, oregano and basil; simmer for 8-10 minutes.
  5. Add cream; cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes.
  6. Season sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.
  7. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  8. Cook pasta in the boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. (If using fresh spinach, add it to the pot of boiling pasta right at the end and cook until wilted.)
  9. Drain, and return contents to pot.
  10. Add tomato sauce, sausage, spinach and cubed mozzarella to the pot; toss to coat.
  11. Season with salt and pepper.
  12. Scoop pasta into lightly greased 9×13-inch pan (or divide evenly between two 8X8-inch pans). Top with grated mozzarella and Parmesan.
  13. Bake until browned and edges are crisp, 20 to 30 minutes.
Freezable Meal: Prepare recipe right up until the baking step and then cover with a double layer of aluminum foil. Freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. To bake, increase baking time to 1 to 1¼ hours. If baking from frozen, bake covered for 1 hour and 15 minutes, uncover and bake 30 minutes longer.

Recipe Source: adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food

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