Baked Pizza Pasta with Hot Honey
This will be your family's new favorite Italian casserole! Rigatoni bakes in a simple Italian sausage marinara sauce to make the most irresistible pizza pasta bake.
Servings: 10
Calories: 556kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry rigatoni pasta
- 1 pound Italian Sausage mild or hot
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 48 ounces marinara sauce I like Rao’s
- 1/2 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese & provolone blend divided
- 3 ounces sliced pepperoni
- Fresh snipped basil for topping
- Hot honey drizzle for topping
Toasted Breadcrumbs:
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375ºF. Boil the pasta in salted water according to the package directions, but remove it 2 minutes before the recommended al dente time (it will finish cooking in the oven). Drain well.1 pound dry rigatoni pasta
- While the pasta cooks, brown the Italian sausage and fennel seeds in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain off any excess grease.1 pound Italian Sausage, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- Add the marinara sauce and the Italian Seasoning to the skillet with the cooked meat. Stir to combine and simmer for 2-3 minutes.48 ounces marinara sauce, 1/2 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- Pour the drained, undercooked pasta, sauce, cooked sausage and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese into the skillet with the sauce and meat. Stir everything thoroughly until the pasta is fully coated and the cheese is slightly melted.3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese & provolone blend
- Pour the entire mixture into the lightly greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. Arrange the sliced pepperoni over the cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.3 ounces sliced pepperoni
- While the casserole is baking, add the butter to medium skillet over low heat. Once the butter is melted, toss in the breadcrumbs and shredded parmesan cheese. Stir gently together until the breadcrumbs are golden brown.1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons salted butter, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Top the baked casserole with the toasted breadcrumbs, snipped basil and a drizzle of hot honey.Fresh snipped basil, Hot honey drizzle
Notes
- Add any veggies to the pizza pasta recipe like tomatoes, black olives, mushrooms, bell peppers and onions.
- Have leftovers? Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave, or in the air fryer to crisp up the toppings.
- Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
Nutrition
Calories: 556kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 1467mg | Potassium: 695mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 924IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 248mg | Iron: 3mg
