Healthy Pasta and Sausage Casserole
Blanching the sausage is the key to reducing the fat content in this Healthy Pasta and Sausage Casserole. Delicious flavor with less fat!
Equipment
- 1 9X13x2 Baking Dish
- 1 Pot for cooking pasta
- 1 Deep Fry pan or skillet
Ingredients
- 8 oz Italian sausage mild or hot
- 2 med onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic crushed or finely chopped
- 8 oz mushrooms coarsely chopped
- 28 oz can of tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp basil
- 1 lb medium pasta shells
- 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese part skim
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Prick the sausage casing with a fork and add to the pot. Boil for about 2-3 minutes, (casing should be pale). This will allow some of the fat from the sausage to boil out.
- Remove the sausage from the water. Once cool enough to handle, remove the casing, then chop the sausage.
- Add the sausage to deep skillet or pan and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat.
- Add onion and garlic and cook until softened and translucent.
- Drop in the mushrooms and cook until tender, reduce heat to medium low.
- Add tomato sauce and basil, mix and reduce heat to low.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Once done, drain the pasta.
- Place about 1/3 of the sauce in the bottom of the baking dish, making sure to cover the bottom.
- Top with 1/2 of the pasta, spreading evenly.
- Add another 1/3 of the sauce, then the rest of the pasta.
- Cover the top with remaining sauce and sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and just browning, sauce should be bubbling.
- Remove from oven, serve and enjoy!
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To freeze: layer sauce and pasta and let casserole cool completely. Top with cheese. Cover with heavy duty foil and freeze for up to three months. Take casserole out a night before use and place in the refrigerator to thaw. Bake at 350 degrees until the sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted and just starting to brown.