Hearty Three Cheese Italian Sausage Pasta Bake

Homemade Alfredo sauce, fresh veggies, Italian sausage and three cheeses come together in this cheesy pasta bake that‘s also a great make-ahead dish.

If you’re craving a cozy, comforting dinner that the whole family will love, this Hearty Three Cheese Italian Sausage Pasta Bake is just the ticket! Loaded with savory Italian sausage, tender pasta, rich tomato sauce, and a delicious blend of three cheeses, this baked pasta dish is the ultimate comfort food. 

It’s hearty, satisfying, and topped with a golden brown layer of melted cheese that makes every bite irresistible. Perfect for any time or occasion, this easy pasta bake is sure to become a family favorite!

What Makes This Recipe Great

This Hearty Three Cheese Italian Sausage Pasta Bake is great because it combines everything I love about comfort food in one delicious, satisfying dish. It’s cheesy, flavorful, easy to prepare, and perfect for sharing with family and friends.

What to Serve With This Hearty Three Cheese Italian Sausage Pasta Bake

I’m pretty consistent in what I like with my pasta dishes. That typically includes a refreshing salad, some great bread and a nice glass of wine.  Here are some of my favorites:

Salad
If you’re looking for something simple, this Field Greens Salad fits the bill. If you’re looking for something a little different, try this fun Grilled Romaine Lettuce with Fig Vinaigrette Salad Recipe. 

Bread
I love bread with pasta. Often, I will just grab an Italian or ciabatta loaf from the local bakery. However, this Cheesy Bloomin’ Crusty Italian Bread is pretty fantastic or you can try these wonderfully, cheesy, peppery Parmesan Puffs. 

Wine
Your favorite white or red wine is always welcome to accompany this dish! As this is a bit of a heartier recipe, I tend to gravitate towards a heavier red like a Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache or Syrah.

An Easy Make-Ahead Dish

This is absolutely a great make-ahead dish. Perfect for serving the next day or sometime in the near future.

To Store the Unbaked Pasta Bake

In this case, assemble the pasta bake up to the point of getting it ready to put into the oven. At this point, the unbaked pasta bake is ready for storage. If you will be baking this within the next 3-4 days, you can simply cover the pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and put into the fridge.

If you are freezing for later, cover with aluminum foil and place in the freezer. You can store this for up to 3 months.

To Reheat the Unbaked Pasta Bake

To bake from refrigerated, bake for 15 minutes covered and then an additional 30 minutes uncovered. It’s done when heated through and cheese is melted and starting to brown. 

To bake from frozen, bake for 30 minutes covered and then an additional 30 minutes uncovered, until heated through.

How to Store, Freeze and Reheat Leftover Pasta Bake

To Store and Freeze

If I have enough pasta leftover for another full meal, I usually just keep the pasta bake in the same baking dish, cover with aluminum foil and place in the freezer. It will keep up to 3 months.

If I want individual portions, I grab an airtight container for each portion, place individual servings into each container and then either store in the fridge or the freezer for later use. The pasta will keep just fine in the fridge for 3-4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To Reheat

Oven Method: From either thawed or frozen, place the pasta bake in a non-preheated oven and set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If the pasta bake was thawed, it usually is hot by the time the oven reaches temperature. If from frozen, it will likely take another 15-30 minutes to come to the proper temperature. Again, watch for bubbling sauce and cheese browning.

Microwave Method: If from frozen, I defrost for 2-4 minutes and then reheat on High for 1-2 minutes. If from thawed, then 1-2 minutes on High is usually enough to heat up to a proper temperature. 

Recommended Equipment

Tips and Tricks

• Squeeze the spinach dry. Thaw the frozen spinach and remove as much excess moisture as possible by placing the spinach in a clean kitchen towel and twisting and squeezing the water out. This keeps the pasta bake from becoming too watery.
• The best way to incorporate the cream cheese into the sauce is to cube it and only add several cubes at a time, whisking each addition in completely before adding more.
• Don’t let the sauce boil. Bring the milk and chicken stock just to a gentle simmer before adding the cream cheese and parmesan. Keeping the heat moderate helps the sauce stay smooth.
• Cook the pasta until al dente. Follow the package directions, but avoid overcooking the pasta since it will continue to cook in the oven.

Ingredients Needed to Make Hearty Three Cheese Italian Sausage Bake

Full instructions can be found below in the printable recipe card

• Butter
• Fresh garlic cloves
• Whole milk
• Chicken stock
• Cream cheese
• Grated parmesan cheese
• Dried oregano
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Olive oil
• Shallot
• Red bell pepper – In terms of bell peppers for this recipe, I prefer the red bell pepper as it has a sweeter flavor. Orange or yellow bell peppers also are a bit sweeter and can be substituted.
• Zucchini
• Cremini mushrooms – You can also substitute white mushrooms, but I prefer the Cremini because I think they have more flavor.
• Frozen spinach
• Fully cooked Italian sausage links – Cut into cubes for use in this recipe.
• Short cut pasta – In this recipe I used cavatappi pasta, However, you can use your favorite short cut pasta (or whatever you happen to have in your pantry). Some of my favorites include bowtie, fusilli and penne pasta.
• Feta cheese crumbles
• Shredded mozzarella cheese

How to Make Hearty Three Cheese Italian Sausage Pasta Bake

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium low heat.
• Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Stir in milk and chicken stock.
• Increase heat to medium and bring mixture to a simmer that’s just starting to bubble, but not boil.
• Whisk in cream cheese, a couple cubes at a time, until melted and fully incorporated.
• Whisk in 3/4 cup parmesan and continue whisking until melted.
• Stir in oregano, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Keep sauce warm over low heat.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
• Add shallot, bell pepper, zucchini and mushrooms.
• Sauté until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in dry spinach.
• In a large bowl, stir together veggies, sausage, cooked pasta and feta.
• Pour sauce over mixture and stir until well combined.
• Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
• Pour pasta mixture into prepared pan.
• Spread evenly and sprinkle mozzarella and remaining 1/4 cup parmesan over the top.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted and starting to brown.

Other Great Pasta Dishes

• 10 Great Pasta Dishes
• Lazy Day Chicken Lasagna
• How to Make a Skinny Fettuccini Alfredo Recipe
• Baked Gnocchi with Chicken
• Baked Spaghetti
• Easy Baked Rigatoni with Sausage
• Easy Weeknight Chicken Parmesan Bake

Enjoy!