This hearty and delicious baked pasta with sausage and ricotta is a wonderful meal, with tons of flavour and just enough cheese to satisfy!
I never tire of baked pasta with sausage and ricotta is a favourite. With browned sausage and dollops of ricotta, all cooked in a quick tomato sauce. Add some crusty bread and a salad and you have a great dinner!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Sausage – you can buy loose sausage meat or sausage links (and remove the sausage from the casing yourself at home). Use mild Italian sausage or hot Italian sausage or a bit of both, as you like. To really change up the flavour profile, try chorizo sausage instead!
Ricotta – you only need a cup of ricotta, which can be expensive, so grab the smaller, half container unless you have more uses for the ricotta.
Cook’s Notes
- I think I say this a lot, but it’s worth repeating for this dish. Seasoning is everything! Be sure to add salt and pepper to the ricotta mixture and to the tomato sauce in healthy doses. Salt really brings out the flavours here!
- Like most baked pasta dishes, the re-heated leftovers are almost better than when it’s freshly cooked. So make a big skillet and enjoy from the fridge.
Get the Recipe: Baked Pasta with Sausage and Ricotta
Ingredients
- 1 lb. loose mild and/or hot Italian sausage, (or fresh sausage, removed from casing)
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 small onion, diced
- 28 oz. canned whole tomatoes , (San Marzano recommended), hand crushed
- 6 leaves fresh basil, chopped (or 1 tsp. dried basil)
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper
- 2 1/2 - 3 cups dried rigatoni pasta
Ricotta Mixture:
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 3 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When boiling, add rigatoni and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- On the stove-top, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add loose sausage and cook, stirring regularly, until cooked through and browned in spots. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- To the same skillet, over medium heat, add the onion and cook, stirring until softened. Add garlic and cook and additional 30-45 seconds. Add the hand-crushed tomatoes, chopped basil leaves and a healthy sprinkling of salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Add sausage back to the skillet and cook a few minutes, to blend the flavours and warm the sausage again. Taste the sauce and add additional salt and pepper, as needed. (If the flavours seem flat, it needs more salt!). Turn off heat and let stand until pasta is ready.
- When pasta is cooked, add to the skillet with the tomato sauce and sausage. Stir to combine. Spoon dollops of the ricotta mixture randomly on top. Sprinkle with the shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.
This is a really tasty dish. Will make again. Also makes great leftovers.
So glad you enjoyed it, Sondra :) Thanks so much!
We are total foodies and we loved this recipe! We live on a sailboat and I loved how few dishes I could use to make this, too. Made it as written, but it’s versatile so we can modify as necessary.
So glad to hear, Laura :) Thanks so much!
Would love to make this but I don’t own a cast iron skillet. I have large fry pans. Could I start it in this and bake it in a 9 x13 baking dish?
Hi Chris and yes, you could, but it’s also possible that your large fry pans can go in the oven, too. Many of them can and are quite safe up to 400F. Either way, enjoy :)
Thank you Chris!! That was my Q.
Simply fantastic!
So glad you are enjoying it Kim :) Thanks so much!
Made this for the first time Whole family loved it and it made great lunch leftovers the next day. I ended up including the juice from the tomatoes and I’m glad I did. It was perfect! My pasta was very al dente when I put it in the oven, so it soaked up some of the juices. It’s gone into my recipe folder. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it, Catherine :) Thanks so much!
What size skillet do you need to fit all these ingredients?
Hi Jonathan, the skillet shown here is a 10-inch (top diameter). A 12-inch would work fine, as well.
I had one question on this one: do you use the whole can of tomatoes juice and all, or just the tomatoes themselves?
Thanks!
Hi Amber, I usually just pull the tomatoes out of the can and hand-crush them into the skillet. So I don’t add the juice per se, but if it seems dry at any point, I will add a bit as needed.
Hi. Just had to comment on this recipe. It is marvellous made as is. I did deglaze pan with red wine and added 1 1/2 cups marinara so suit the saucier preferences of family. It was gorgeous to look at. I have a pix but don’t know how to send. Have made many of your recipes over past couple of years. All winners. You have the best blog….
So glad you enjoyed it, Sherry :) Thanks so much!
Wow! Simply an amazing recipe! I’ve been making baked rigatoni for years and my husband has always enjoyed it. But… I just made this recipe and he said it’s been the best by far! I personally never enjoy my meals because I am full by the time I am done cooking from trying it, but I as well enjoyed it so much. Thank you for sharing it! :-)
So glad to hear, Lisa :) Thanks so much!
This recipe is amazing. So good. It made my family happy.
So happy o hear, Andrea :) Thanks so much!
This recipe was excellent!!!
My husband doesn’t say much, which I was surprised with…”this is really good, have you made this before?” …he loved it! I sautéed some Cremini mushrooms along with the onions, which gave it a more earthy taste. Thanks so much for this awesome recipe…I just signed up for your email subscribe and can’t wait to receive the next recipe!
So glad to hear, Diane! Thanks so much :)
Jennifer,
I’m thinking of adding this to my Easter dinner menu. Can it be made in advanced and frozen?
Thank you!
Linda
Hi Linda, Are you planning to to freeze before or after baking?
I’m thinking of freezing before baking so it won’t seem like a leftover dish, but I will rely on your expertise.
That’s what I would do Lisa. This dish isn’t super saucy so I’d be worried about it drying out if it were baked then re-heated.
I made this recipe last night. It was amazing. I cooked a pound of rigatoni pasta and added an extra can of tomatoes. I baked it in a deep cast iron skillet. So good! I can’t wait to have leftovers!
So glad to hear, Michele :) Thanks!
This recipie is to die for. If you love lasagna, you’ll find this to be a short-cut version. I added some fennel seeds and bay to the seasoning as both are a favorite of mine. If you have high blood pressure and are stingy on salt, ramp up the seasoning. Also use about a half cup of Marsala wine to deglaze the pan after browning the sausage. Boil it to reduce and concentrate the flavor.
So glad to hear you enjoyed this one :) Love your tips, too! Thanks.
Loved it when I saw it… Made it tonight and is a keeper as my husband would say! I did make my own ricotta which is the easiest thing to do and cost saving for sure. Thanks for awesome go to recipe….
So glad to hear, Megan and good for you for making your own ricotta! I have made ricotta a few times and you’re right, it is easy and much more economical. I just need to get more organized ;)
When your husband says “I’m not a big baked pasta fan–but that was good!” You know the recipe is a winner ?. Made exactly as written, used mild sausage. Thanks for another great recipe Jennifer!
So glad, Joni :) Thanks for coming back to let me know!
Yes please, a killer baked pasta is just what I’m craving for dinner! :)
Thanks Laura :)
I live in a pretty small town too, Jennifer, so I feel your pain!! It’s wonderful your store makes it’s own loose sausage! Wahoo to that! And double wahoo to this rigatoni! Seriously, that gooey cheese is screaming my name! Love how hearty and comforting this dish is! Winter perfection, my friend! Cheers!
I’m super stoked about the sausage. Doesn’t take much to amuse me, clearly :) Thanks Cheyanne!
Glad you have some new varieties of sausages to choose from! I can spend hours in our local butcher shop and ya know we love food when this is one of the best days of the week. My kids love Italian food and this looks perfect, day of – and day after! I’m in. Thanks for sharing this beauty.
Thanks so much, Cindy! And yes, some of my best times are spent browsing food, too ;)
So glad I saw this on Instagram! I made it for dinner tonight. Didn’t have mozzarella had to use Monterey Jack. Didn’t have basil, used oregano and thyme. It still turned out wonderfully. Perfect timing for this recipe. Thanks!
So glad to hear, Sandra :) Thanks for coming over to let me know!
This would be welcome at my house any day of the week. Italian is always a hit no matter what time of year. I love how easy you’ve made this dish Jennifer!
Thanks Chris! Truth be told, I could eat pasta almost any night of the week. If only I could get my husband to cooperate ;)
This is totally our kind of meal Jennifer! I think we’d go for the hot Italian sausage all the way! Your photos (as usual!) are making me drool!
Thanks Mary Ann and it’s perfect for hot Italian :)
I haven’t had much luck with baked pasta dishes so I need to make yours and see what I’ve been missing. The loose sausage sounds great – especially the combination idea. I bet the ricotta makes all the difference. Pinning and sharing for sure!
Thanks Tricia :) I love the combination of crispy and soft pasta in this one. A nice change from the usual!
My husband likes adding ricotta to pasta dishes…he would absolutely love your recipe so I’m pinning it. :D
Thanks so much, Karen and I’m with your husband. Ricotta and pasta are a great combination!