You may ask what Baked Sausage Parmesan Penne is? Well to honor the inspiration, it is Penne al forno Salsiccia Parmigiano in Italian. You probably will not find it on a table in Italy, but this is America. One of those days where dinner was sneaking up and I did not want to go the store. So we used ingredients on hand.

I looked in the pantry and saw some Penne. Well, that and a little tomato sauce and we are good to go. Of course, I had to find some kind of meat to go in it. The jeers are louder when there is no meat–I really should stop teaching the children that! Imagine my surprise when I found some smoked sausage.

How to make Baked Sausage Parmesan Penne: Printable

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat a pot of water to boiling and then cook a 16 ounce package pasta to al dente (6-8 minutes), then drain.

In a saucepan, over medium heat, add butter and half of a chopped onion. Saute for 5 minutes.

Add 3-4 minced garlic cloves and saute for another 2 minutes.

Add 1 cup of white Merlot to de-glaze the pan and simmer for 1 minute.

Add 1 quart of tomato sauce, 1/2 pound of smoked sausage, and 1 tablespoon Italian herbs. Simmer for 5 minutes or until reduced.

In a greased casserole dish, add half of the cooked pasta, then half of the meat sauce mixture, then 3/4 cup of mozzarella cheese.

Start layering again–the rest of the pasta then the meat sauce, and top with another 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

Bake covered for 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake for another 10 minutes to brown the cheese.


This little treat smells so good when baking. It will cause the kids to run in and ask what is for dinner. This basic recipe is sort of a base for me in my cooking. There are many times I will add or subtract different things depending on need or availability.

It is perfect to mix in some vegetables that the children need to eat. It also allows you to cut back on the meat portions a little bit. It is a perfect meal with a loaf of bread. One of these days I am going to perfect an Italian Sourdough bread. Guess I better get the starter ready.

pirate96 blogs at Wokokon.

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