Italian Rotini Casserole

Submitted by Sky Hostess

"This is the most requested dish in our house. We use Italian chicken sausage that is made locally. I use half hot sausage and half sweet. It may be a little more than a pound. If you don't like rotini pasta - try using a penne pasta or any type you might prefer. We use whole wheat pasta from Trader Joe's."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 40mins
• Ingredients: 15
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• 3⁄4 lb dried rotini pasta
• 1 - 1 1⁄4 lb chicken sausage
• 1 -2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can fat-free low-sodium chicken broth
• 12 ounces tomato paste
• 1⁄3 cup red wine (or water)
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 -3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper

directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Remove sausage from casings. Cook sausage and onion in olive oil in a large, deep skillet, stirring ocassionally. Halfway through cooking add garlic, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. When chicken is cooked through and crumbles add chicken broth, tomato paste, red wine and bay leaf. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring ocassionally.
4. Begin to add cooked pasta, a little at a time, stirring well to coat pasta with sauce.
5. Don't forget to take out the bayleaf!
6. When all the pasta and sauce are mixed together, place mixture in lightly sprayed 9x13 casserole dish and top with grated mozarella cheese and then grated parmesan cheese.
7. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted.
8. After 30 minutes I usually place the dish under the broiler for a few minutes to brown the top a little bit.

Reviews

[Aunt Jac]

It sounded like it would be good but once it was all done it really wasn't. I couldn't even get the kids to eat the left overs.

 

[WildLime]

Great recipe that my whole family loved. We also used hot italian turkey sausage and it turned out just great. Thanks for the recipe, it's a keeper!

 

[LK Devildog]

This was awesome! I made 2 of them for a crowd arrivng for my daughter's graduation. I used sweet and hot turkey italian sausages and it was yummy! Thanks sis!

 

[Alison J.]

Very tasty. I couldn't find chicken sausages, so I used a garlic flavoured pork sausage instead. DH loved it too.

 

[Dawn F.]

Yummy. Thanks for sharing.