Sausage Spinach Pasta Bake

A hearty oven-baked pasta casserole is a dream of a Sunday supper, and this one is designed to be a little healthier than the average baked ziti or lasagna. We start with a base of nutty whole wheat pasta and build a skillet tomato ragù using Italian-seasoned turkey sausage in place of pork sausage. Then, we fold in the equivalent of a full pound of spinach. Even with these more restrained swaps, one indulgence remains: dairy. This pasta casserole has a touch of cream in the sauce and two cheeses on top, which bake until gooey and golden. It’s a delicious compromise that you can put together start to finish in just under an hour.

Ingredients for Sausage Spinach Pasta Bake

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• Whole wheat spiral pasta: Whole wheat pasta contains the bran and germ of the wheat kernel, which gives it a toothsome quality, as well as additional fiber. In this casserole it makes a sturdy foundation for sauce, sausage and greens.
• Italian turkey sausage: This recipe employs Italian turkey sausage, seasoned with garlic and fennel seed, as the base for a quick tomato ragù. Buy links of sweet or hot sausage and remove the casings or save a step and buy a pound of bulk sausage instead.
• Onion and garlic: Chopped onion and minced garlic sautéed with the sausage are the flavor foundation for the tomato sauce.
• Canned tomatoes: We call for both crushed and diced tomatoes in this quick skillet sauce. Diced tomatoes hold their shape, giving the sauce texture, while the crushed serve to coat the pasta and other ingredients.
• Dried herbs: Dried oregano and basil echo the Italian flavor profile of the sausage and boost the sauce with a dose of summery aromas.
• Frozen chopped spinach: This ingredient is a great shortcut that helps get a ton of veg into this pasta bake with very little effort. Thaw your spinach and wring out any extra liquid before adding it to the mix.
• Half-and-half cream: A small amount of half-and-half stirred in takes the sauce from straight tomato to more of a tomato cream sauce reminiscent of penne alla vodka.
• Cheese: Two cheeses create a gooey and pleasantly browned layer on top of this pasta bake. Part-skim mozzarella gives it a gooey texture that stretches from the dish as you serve it and grated Parmesan adds rich, nutty flavor.

Directions 

Step 1: Cook the pasta

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Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook the pasta according to package directions.

Step 2: Make the tomato sauce

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Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the turkey and onion over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink. Add garlic. Cook one minute longer; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, oregano, basil and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.

Step 3: Assemble and bake the casserole

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Drain the pasta and stir it into the turkey tomato sauce. Add the spinach and cream; heat through. Transfer the pasta mixture to a 13×9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with both cheeses. Bake, uncovered, 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

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Sausage Spinach Pasta Bake Variations

• Change out the greens: Come garden or farmer’s market season you may have a glut of Swiss chard, collard greens or kale. You can use any of these in place of the spinach in this recipe. Chop the stems fine and sauté them, then add the finely chopped greens and cook until softened before adding them to this dish.
• Add more veggies: With the tomatoes, spinach and onion, this pasta bake already has a good amount of vegetables, but the recipe is flexible enough that you can add more. Consider tossing in some cubed eggplant, chopped bell peppers or half moons of zucchini sautéed with a little garlic when you add the pasta to the sauce.
• Make meatballs instead: Form your Italian sausage into bite-sized meatballs instead of browning it in crumbles.
• Make it low-carb: Use chickpea or lentil-based pasta in place of the whole wheat pasta.
• Use different cheeses: Replace some mozzarella with other melting cheeses such as provolone or fontina.

How to Store Sausage Spinach Pasta Bake

Baked pasta with spinach and sausage lasts up to five days in the refrigerator. Store individual portions in airtight containers and reheat them in the microwave. To store the casserole whole, cover the dish with aluminum foil and keep it in the refrigerator. Take it out of the fridge while the oven is preheating to 350° and reheat it until it’s warmed through, about 30 minutes.

Can you freeze sausage spinach pasta bake? 

Frozen baked pasta with sausage and spinach is good for up to three months. Let it cool completely after baking. Wrap the cooled baking dish with a layer of plastic wrap, and then cover the top with foil. When you’re ready to reheat the lasagna, first let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Sausage Spinach Pasta Bake Tips

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Can you use fresh spinach instead of frozen to make Sausage Spinach Pasta Bake? 

Absolutely. You’ll need about a pound of fresh spinach to replace a 10-ounce package of frozen spinach. Be sure to thoroughly wash spinach bought in bunches. Because it is grown in finely textured soils, the stems of spinach leaves can easily trap sand, an unwelcome addition to any casserole. Bagged baby spinach is less likely to have this issue and is generally washed multiple times before being packaged, so you can skip washing it.

Can you use a different pasta shape to make Sausage Spinach Pasta Bake? 

Spiral-cut short pasta such as radiatori, gemelli, fusilli and cavatappi trap sauce and cheese in their curls and scoop up easily, which makes them great in baked pasta with sausage and spinach. Feel free to use penne, rigatoni or any other short pasta you happen to have.

What should you serve with Sausage Spinach Pasta Bake?

Sausage spinach pasta bake tastes great with any side dishes that pair well with pasta. Try dishes you would serve with spaghetti, such as a simple Italian salad with pepperoncini peppers or crusty garlic bread.