Baked Mostaccioli with Italian Sausage

Tweet
Share
Pin
Share

Baked mostaccioli is a hearty Italian-American pasta casserole with tube pasta, a meaty marinara sauce made with Italian sausage, and layers of melted mozzarella.

It feeds a crowd, reheats beautifully, and tastes even better the next day.

Why You’ll Love It

  • Serves 8-10 people from one dish
  • Freezer-friendly for meal prep
  • Can be assembled up to 24 hours ahead
  • Budget-friendly — stretches one pound of sausage into a full meal
  • Minimal hands-on time with big flavor payoff

Ingredients

For the pasta and sauce:

  • 1 lb mostaccioli or penne pasta
  • 1 lb Italian sausage (sweet, mild, or hot — your preference), casings removed
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the cheese layers:

  • 2 cups ricotta cheese (whole milk preferred)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried)
  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Steps

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the mostaccioli until just shy of al dente — about 1 minute less than the package directions.
  3. Drain the pasta and set aside.
  4. While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
  5. Add the sausage, breaking it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon, and cook until browned — about 6-8 minutes.
  6. Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.
  7. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  8. Pour in the marinara sauce, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes if using.
  9. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then season with salt and pepper.
  10. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, parsley, and 1 cup of the mozzarella.
  11. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
  12. Spread 1 cup of meat sauce on the bottom of the dish.
  13. Add half of the cooked pasta in an even layer.
  14. Dollop half of the ricotta mixture over the pasta and spread gently.
  15. Spoon half of the remaining meat sauce over the ricotta.
  16. Sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella.
  17. Repeat layers: remaining pasta, remaining ricotta mixture, remaining sauce, and remaining 1 cup mozzarella.
  18. Top with the Parmesan cheese.
  19. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
  20. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
  21. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Helpful Tips & Substitutions

Pasta choice. Mostaccioli, penne, ziti, and rigatoni are interchangeable here — use whatever tube pasta you have.

Undercook the pasta. Since it bakes in the oven, cook it 1-2 minutes less than the package directions to prevent mushy results.

Sausage options. Use a mix of sweet and hot sausage for balanced heat, or substitute ground beef if you prefer.

Ricotta substitute. Cottage cheese blended until smooth works in a pinch.

Boost the sauce. Add 1/2 cup of pasta water to the sauce if it seems too thick — the starch helps it cling to the pasta.

Fresh mozzarella. Low-moisture mozzarella melts better for baked pasta — save fresh mozzarella for pizza.

Shred your own cheese from a block using a box grater for better melting.

Serving Ideas

Serve baked mostaccioli with a simple green salad dressed with red wine vinaigrette.

Garlic bread is non-negotiable — use it to soak up extra sauce.

For a lighter side, roasted broccoli or sautéed zucchini pairs well.

Leftovers make excellent next-day lunch portions.

Make-Ahead & Storage

Refrigerator: Store covered leftovers for up to 4 days.

Reheating: Cover with foil and reheat at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, or microwave individual portions.

Make-ahead option: Assemble the entire dish, cover tightly with heavy duty aluminum foil, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking.

Add 10 extra minutes to the covered baking time if baking from cold.

Freezer: Assemble in a freezer-safe dish, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking, or bake from frozen at 350°F for about 90 minutes (covered for the first hour).

The Bottom Line

Baked mostaccioli is the kind of dependable recipe every home cook needs — it’s forgiving, scalable, and always a crowd-pleaser.

Make one for Sunday dinner and you’ll have easy lunches for the rest of the week.

The slight crust that forms on the cheese edges is the best part, so don’t skip the uncovered baking step at the end.

Similar Posts