Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 35 mins | Total Time: 50 mins | Yield: 8 people
I love that I can make this baked pasta with sausage and spinach in advance and just keep it in the fridge or freeze for later. It is packed with Italian sausage, spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes, cottage cheese, sour cream, spinach, spaghetti, parsley, garlic, Monterey jack cheese, mozzarella cheese, french fried onions. You can imagine how seriously delicious this casserole is. One of the best in town!
Ingredients
2 pounds Italian sausage
12 ounces dry spaghetti
1 (14.5-ounces) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (26-ounces) jar spaghetti sauce
1 (10-ounces) box frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 c. sour cream
2 c. cottage cheese
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1½ c. shredded Monterey jack cheese
2 tablespoons parsley
1 (2.8-ounces) can French fried onions
1½ c. shredded mozzarella cheese
HOW TO MAKE BAKED PASTA WITH SAUSAGE & SPINACH
Step 1: Prepare the oven. Preheat it to 350 degrees F. Using a cooking spray, lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and set it aside.
Step 2: Following the package directions, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain when done.
Step 3: Cook the sausage in a large skillet until brown. Drain the excess grease when done, then stir in the spaghetti sauce, tomatoes and spinach. Set aside.
Step 4: Combine the cottage cheese with sour cream, parsley, garlic powder, ½ cup Monterey jack cheese, and ½ cup mozzarella cheese until well blended.
Step 5: Into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, spread the cooked spaghetti and top with the cottage cheese mixture followed by the meat sauce. Over everything, sprinkle the rest of the Monterey Jack and mozzarella. Then, tent the pan with foil.
Step 6: Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove the cover and sprinkle the French fried onions on top. Continue to bake for additional 5 minutes.
Notes:
1. You can make this casserole ahead and just keep it in the fridge or freeze.
2. When ready to bake after refrigerating, simply add a couple of minutes to the cooking time.
3. Make sure to completely thaw the casserole after freezing, then bake as instructed.
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