Easy Italian Mac and Cheese Bake
This easy Italian Mac and Cheese Bake is a favorite quick and simple pasta recipe perfect for busy nights, packed with beautiful sausage flavor, tomato, cheese, and spinach. Plus -- it's an under 30 minute dinner you will love.
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Calories: 407kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage castings removed
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 12 ounces pasta cooked and drained
- 28- ounce jar pasta sauce marinara, cheese sauce, etc.
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 bunch baby spinach leaves
- 1/4 cup half and half or cream
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella shredded
- fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° and cook pasta to al-dente according to package instructions.
- Cook sausage in a large oven-safe skillet cook sausage, breaking it up as it cooks, until seared and no longer pink; about 4 minutes. Stir in the onion and garlic and cook until softened; about 5 minutes more.
- Stir in cooked pasta, pasta sauce, and baby spinach leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Then stir in half and half; bring to a simmer and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed; about 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of the mozzarella. If baking the pasta in the skillet, sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the top. If baking in a 13 x 9-inch dish, transfer the pasta and then sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the top.
- Bake the pasta until the cheese is golden and bubbling; about 10 minutes. Garnish with basil before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 407kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 1131mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g