Few things say ‘comfort food’ like a homemade pasta bake. There is just something about the crispy, cheesy topping and the saucy, oozey pasta that is just so good. I have made this sausage pasta recipe countless times as a classic pasta spooned straight from the pan into bowls, but I love making it now like this, with a crispy top and turning it into a sausage pasta bake. It only really adds on 15 minutes in terms of timing and it takes it to the next level.
This is also the ideal make ahead recipe - and one I often batch cook so I know I have a delicious homemade meal to come back to after a busy day (see FAQs for more tips on this). It is also super family-friendly, depending on how strong your nduja is but the good news is you can leave it out if you'd rather and the dish is still delicious. Serve with a side of garlic bread and you just cannot go wrong!
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Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s a little different to your usual pasta bake as I have added smokey, spicy nduja. With the rest of the dish and the mascarpone, it doesn’t end up spicy but just has a warmth to it.
- This is the ideal make ahead recipe as you can make the pasta and cover it with cheese, ready to go into the oven when ready to eat with minimal fuss.
- It's versatile - you can swap the nduja out for pesto and you can add veggies and other delicious cheeses depending on what you have on hand.
- This sausage pasta bake is so delicious and warming, you will have a new go-to recipe on your hands.
Ingredients:
See recipe card at the bottom of the page for the exact recipe with a full list of ingredients and measurements
Sausages - opt for the best quality sausages you can find, it will make all the difference in terms of flavour.
Cherry tomatoes - plump, sweet and juicy - a fresh cherry tomato sauce is too good to miss when cherry tomatoes are in season. You could also use baby plum tomatoes.
Tomato purée - this intensifies the tomato flavour in the sauce. You could swap for sundried tomato paste if you prefer.
‘Nduja paste - this spicy Italian sausage paste adds a bit of heat and smokiness to the sauce. It is entirely optional if you prefer a more classic tomato pasta sauce - or you can swap for pesto for a stronger basil flavour.
Mascarpone - a creamy, thick Italian cheese with a high fat content (around 40%) and similar consistency to cream cheese. It is used in both savoury and sweet recipes - like one of my favourite puddings, tiramisu.
Fresh basil - I always think basil leaves look beautiful as a garnish, plus you get a subtle basil flavour in the finished dish.
Pasta- I used orecchiette as I find their small, curved shape is ideal for holding the tomato sauce, but you can use whatever small dried pasta you have to hand.
Parmesan - a generous grating of fresh Parmesan adds a glorious umami flavour. You could also use Pecorino. Alternatively, any strong hard cheese would work.
Mozzarella - I love the way this goes all molten and gooey when baked. You could use mozzarella pearls or provolone instead.
Substitutions and Variations
Cherry tomatoes: you could also use baby plum tomatoes or larger tomatoes chopped up if you’re in a pinch. If you can't get fresh tomatoes (perhaps if they are out of season), you could substitute for a tin of cherry tomatoes.
Orecchiette: you can use whatever small dried pasta you have to hand (fusilli and penne both work well). I wouldn't use a long pasta shape as it can get a little messy when baked and trying to scoop it out of the pan.
Mascarpone: you could use a splash of double cream, a dollop of cream cheese or creme fraiche if you have it on hand instead. You could just want something creamy to give it smoothness and body.
Sausages: I have used plain pork sausages as it gives you the most flexibility in terms of flavour. But you could use different flavours according to your own tastes. You can get some lovely caramelised onion ones which would work well. Pork mince would also work the same way - just fry until lovely and crispy, and make sure you season well. I would also add a little crushed garlic and some dried herbs.
Garlic: this is lovely with a couple of crushed or roasted cloves of garlic in the sauce. Or a shake of garlic granules.
Here's how to make this Sausage Pasta Bake:
The full recipe is is at the bottom of the page but this step-by-step guide will help you alongside the full recipe.
ONE: Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan set over a medium heat. Add the sausages and, using a wooden spoon, break into small pieces. Fry for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deep golden-brown and crisp.
TWO: Add the cherry tomatoes, tomato purée and ‘Nduja paste (if using). Stir well and continue to fry for a few more minutes. Add a splash of water and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
THREE: Get your pasta on to boil. Once a sauce has formed, add the mascarpone and stir.
FOUR: Stir in the basil leaves and pasta water.
FIVE: Add the al dente cooked pasta with half of the Parmesan and more fresh basil, if wished. Stir well to coat the pasta in the tomato sauce, adding more pasta water, as needed, to keep it loose and silky.
SIX: Tip the pasta into an ovenproof dish and spread in a smooth layer. Scatter over the torn mozzarella and remaining parmesan. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the top is bubbling and crispy.
Cooking Tips
Crispy sausages: to gain maximum crispiness, it's important to break the sausages down into small pieces. They may take longer than you think to turn totally golden and crispy. Keep stirring occasionally so they don’t burn. If the pan needs a splash of oil, don't be afraid to add this.
Adding pasta water: using pasta cooking water in pasta sauces is one of the best ways to create a silky, luscious sauce. As the pasta cooks in the boiling water, it releases starch, creating starchy pasta water. This helps to bind and thicken a sauce when added to the pan. Put simply, adding a splash of pasta cooking water to your sauce will help you create the most delicious, silky smooth, pasta sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, you don't have to! It is delicious, however, if you are short on time, it is still great as a sausage pasta. Simply spoon into bowls instead of an oven-proof dish and serve each portion topped with mozzarella and fresh basil.
This can seem a bit of a faff but gets easier once you have the hang of it. To remove the casings, score the skin done the length with a sharp knife, then pull away the sides. This works best if the sausages are fridge cold to start with.
'Nduja is an Italian spreadable cured sausage paste made from pork, fat, spices, Calabrian chillies and herbs. It has a deep red colour and spicy flavour and is often used to add flavour to sauces and stews, as a pizza topping or spread on toast (it doesn’t need cooking). You can leave it out of this Sausage Pasta Bake if you want a milder, more family-friendly recipe.
Yes, opt for vegetarian-friendly sausages (you could even choose a flavoured variety) and either omit the ‘Nduja or purchase a plant-based version like this Belazu Ve-du-ya. Then all you have to do is swap the Parmesan for a vegetarian-friendly Parmesan-style hard cheese like Gran Moravia - although a strong Cheddar would work well too.
Storage & Make Ahead Instructions
Yes! Assemble the whole thing up until baking it. Cover and chill. When ready to bake, pop it in oven as instructed. It may take 5 minutes longer or so as it's come out of the fridge so will take longer to heat up.
Any leftovers can be transferred to an airtight container and kept in the fridge for 3 days. It will lose its crispy top but will still be delicious.
If reheating one portion (if it was left over, for example), I would either reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until piping hot or add to a saucepan with a knob of butter over medium heat. Stir well until saucy and heated. If you have a lot left and it's still in the baking dish, you could place it back in the oven at 200c for around 15 minutes until bubbling. It's worth bearing in mind that this is definitely better fresh as the pasta is then perfectly cooked and you risk over doing the pasta if you re bake it a second time, but it'll still be delicious.
Yes, it freezes well. Assemble the whole thing up until baking it. Cover with clingfilm and a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat it, remove from the freezer and defrost at room temperature. Once defrosted, pop it in oven as instructed, until bubbling.
Other recipes to try:
Try my Weeknight Sausage Ragu with Penne Pasta or Creamy Sausage Pasta (Pasta alla Norcina for other delicious sausage pasta recipes. My Prawn and Chorizo Pasta is also perfect as is this Chicken Vodka Pasta.
Made this recipe and loved it?
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PrintNduja and Sausage Pasta Bake
A perfect Sausage Pasta Bake, laced with nduja and crispy sausages in a creamy tomato sauce. It's really delicious and so simple.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian Inspired
Ingredients
- 6 good quality pork sausages, casings removed
- Olive oil
- 300g cherry tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp nduja paste
- 125g mascarpone
- Fresh basil
- 400g pasta (we used orecchiette but use what you have)
- Salt
- Pepper
- Parmesan, for grating
- 1 ball of mozzarella
Instructions
- In a pan with a drizzle of oil over medium heat, add the sausages and break apart with a wooden spoon into small pieces. To remove the casings, all you have to do is score the skin with a knife and then pull it away. Having the sausages fridge cold makes this easier. Once they are into small pieces, fry until deep golden brown. You want them totally crisp. This will take 10-15 minutes.
- Once crisp, add the cherry tomatoes, tomato paste and nduja paste. Stir and fry for a few mins then add in a good splash of water. Bubble gently for 10 minutes, encouraging the tomatoes to burst by using the back of the wooden spoon and pressing down.
- Meanwhile, get your pasta on to boil in a pot of well seasoned boiling water. Cook for 3 mins shy of package instructions. Heat the oven to 200c.
- Once the tomatoes have formed a sauce, add the mascarpone and basil leaves. Add a splash of pasta water as needed to form a smooth and delicious sauce. Then add the cooked pasta, parmesan, more fresh basil and stir together. Add pasta water as needed to make it loose and silky.
- Tip the pasta into an ovenproof dish and then cover with torn mozzarella and lots of grated parmesan. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the top is bubbling and crispy.
Notes
Scroll up for a helpful step by step guide on how to make this delicious sausage pasta bake with nduja.
To store: Any leftovers can be transferred to an airtight container and kept in the fridge for 3 days. It will lose its crispy top but will still be delicious.
To reheat: If reheating one portion (if it was left over, for example), I would either reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until piping hot or add to a saucepan with a knob of butter over medium heat. Stir well until saucy and heated. If you have a lot left and it's still in the baking dish, you could place it back in the oven at 200c for around 15 minutes until bubbling. It's worth bearing in mind that this is definitely better fresh as the pasta is then perfectly cooked and you risk over doing the pasta if you re bake it a second time, but it'll still be delicious.
To freeze: Assemble the whole thing up until baking it. Cover with clingfilm and a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat it, remove from the freezer and defrost at room temperature. Once defrosted, pop it in oven as instructed, until bubbling.
Make ahead: Assemble the whole thing up until baking it. Cover and chill. When ready to bake, pop it in oven as instructed. It may take 5 minutes longer or so as it's come out of the fridge so will take longer to heat up.
Sausages: I have used good-quality plain pork sausages but you can use all sorts of different flavours. You could also use pork mince, make sure you season it well and get it nice and brown and crispy.
Pasta: you can use pretty much any pasta you have in your store cupboards. I feel small dried pasta works best - fusilli and penne are both good choices.
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