Italian Sausage Pasta Bake
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Oct 12, 2026 
This simple Italian sausage pasta bake layers rigatoni, sausage, and jar sauce with creamy ricotta and mozzarella. It’s an easy make-ahead dinner that freezes well, too!
A Simple Sausage Pasta Bake
Okay, there are two camps when it comes to baked pasta: the ground beef people and the Italian sausage people. I’ve personally made a lot of both, and this simple pasta bake might just win over the ground beef people, as it’s just that good!
And if you’re wondering how this Italian sausage pasta bake differs from my classic baked zit with meat? Well, that one uses ground beef and keeps things classic, while this version leans on Italian sausage. I use jarred marinara in both to keep prep as simple as possible, though if you keep a batch of my homemade marinara sauce in the freezer you’ll get the most flavor with very little effort.
In testing, the ricotta layer was the part I kept fussing with. I like it best layered rather than stirred in for best results. On that note, the other thing that makes or breaks this pasta bake is how you cook the pasta. Be sure to pull the rigatoni 2-3 minutes before the package says, because it finishes cooking in the oven.
And whatever you do, don’t rinse it! That starch clinging to the outside is what helps the sauce grab on, and rinsing washes it straight down the drain. I like to serve this sausage pasta casserole with my big Italian chopped salad or my house romaine salad and a side of my homemade garlic bread. I mean, what could be better?
Welcome to My Kitchen, Let’s Make a Sausage Pasta Bake!
Robyn’s Testing Tips for Sausage Baked Pasta
- I tested stirring everything together instead of layering, and while it tastes fine, you lose the ricotta pockets entirely. It’s two extra minutes to layer and it makes a big difference.
- To make ahead, assemble up to 24-hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Straight from cold it needs about 10 extra minutes, so bake it covered for 30-minutes and then uncover for the last 10-15.
- I’ve made this with hot Italian sausage instead of mild and it’s excellent, just know the heat comes through more than you’d expect once it bakes! If you’re feeding kids, stick with mild and put red pepper flakes on the table.
Italian Sausage Pasta Bake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounces rigatoni (or penne)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, small diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, small diced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage (bulk or casings removed)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce (or 3 cups homemade)
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease or spray a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Boil the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just shy of al dente (it will finish in the oven, so you don’t want it cooked all the way through at this point), about 2-3 minutes less than package directions. Drain (do not rinse) and set aside.
- Make the Sauce: While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the olive oil, onion, bell pepper and ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring frequently until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the sausage and cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until well browned and no pink remains.
- Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and black pepper, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the marinara sauce and simmer for 2-4 minutes until the sauce is heated through. Remove from the heat.
- Make the Ricotta Mixture: While the sauce is cooking, in a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, ½ cup of the Parmesan, and ¼ teaspoon of salt until smooth.
- Assemble: In the same pot the pasta cooked in (or a large bowl), toss the cooked pasta with about 1 cup of the marinara sauce until evenly coated.
- Spoon half the pasta into the prepared baking dish, dollop and gently spread half the ricotta mixture over the top, then add 1 cup of the marinara sauce, and then ½ cup of the mozzarella.
- Repeat the layers with the remaining pasta, ricotta, and sauce. Finish with ½ cup mozzarella and the remaining ¼ cup of Parmesan.
- Bake: Cover loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 10-15 minutes more, until the cheese is golden and bubbling at the edges. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
