Sausage pasta bake with mozzarella is simple enough for a weeknight meal, but also suitable for company or potlucks. This combination of sausage, tomato sauce, ricotta, and pasta with blobs of fresh mozzarella throughout will drive your tastebuds insane.
Cook pasta until al dente. Don’t forget to add salt to the water. Check out how to cook pasta for tips. Drain the pasta and transfer into a large bowl.
In large skillet, heat olive oil and add the sausage and red pepper flakes. Cook, breaking the sausage up with a spoon until the sausage is browned. Add spinach in batches until what you added is just wilted, then add more until all the spinach is added and just wilted. Don’t cook it down to nothing as it will continue to wilt when the sauce is added and it’s baked. Season with some kosher salt.
Add the tomato sauce into a large bowl and stir in the oregano. Add the sausage mixture, ricotta, cream, and half of the mozzarella and mix until combined. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed. Add the pasta and mix until combined.
Transfer into a 9x13 baking dish. Scatter the remaining mozzarella on top and press them gently on top of the pasta.
Bake for about 40 minutes until bubbly and golden on top. Let stand for 10 - 15 minutes before serving.