Last night I was in the mood for a cheesy pasta dish. However, hubby wanted pizza…but I want pasta. Who wins? Who do you think? I’m the cook! But not a selfish one….at least not tonight!
Then I found out that AllRecipes is asking that we, AllRecipes Allstars, make recipes from their collection of Johnsonville Sausage recipes.
Then I saw it….the perfect solution for our little dilemma: Pizza Pasta by Johnsonville. Perfect.
We worked with Johnsonville earlier in the year and I like their products and their recipes. I also like that the company interacts with their customers on their Facebook page, more so than other companies I have seen. I like a company that listens to their customers!
Back to the recipe! I love it! It is cheese-y, pasta-y, pizza-y, taste-y and ease-y! I think I made up some new words!
I did change it up a little to lower the fat and not feel as guilty about eating it. Instead of the Johnsonville Italian Sausage the recipe called for, I used the Johnsonville Chicken Sausage 3-Cheese Italian Style since I already had it on hand. I added some chopped onion for flavor, red bell pepper for color, and added Pepperoni minis and omitted the black olives because hubby is not a fan.
It is so easy to put together. Make the pasta per the package directions. While that is going on, add your vegetables (onions, bell peppers) into a large, deep skillet and cook until they are softened. Add in the chicken sausage and brown for a few minutes. Add in the pepperoni, the sauce, and any crushed red pepper, if you want. Then add in the pasta and stir everything together. Place half of the pasta mixture in a 9 x 13 baking dish, layer half the cheese on top. Spoon the other half of the pasta mixture over that and top with the remaining cheese. Bake it for 350 for about 25 to 30 minutes. Easy!
So the next time you can’t decide between pizza or pasta, try this dish!
Pizza Pasta Casserole
Ingredients
- 4 links Cooked Chicken Sausage
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 1/2 green bell pepper chopped
- 1/2 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 cup Pepperoni Minis or regular or Turkey Pepperoni
- 16 ounces Spaghetti Sauce
- 8 ounces Rotini pasta I use whole wheat
- 2 cups Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese or Italian Blend Shredded Cheese
- Crushed Red Pepper optional
- Chopped Fresh Basil as garnish
Instructions
- Prepare rotini according to package directions and drain.
- In a skillet over medium heat sauté onions and red and green bell peppers until they are soft.
- Add in chicken sausage and cook until browned.
- Reduce the heat and stir in the spaghetti sauce and pepperoni. Add in pasta and stir. Add crushed red pepper, if desired.
- Spoon half mixture in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Cover with half of cheese. Spoon remaining pasta mixture over the cheese and spread evenly. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the casserole is heated through and the cheese is melted.
Nutrition
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