Ingredients for Baked Macaroni Delight
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 1 lb elbow macaroni
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
- 1 cup pasta sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper (optional)
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How to Make Baked Macaroni Delight
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Brown 1 lb Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until tender. Drain off excess grease, let cool slightly, and crumble coarsely.
- Cook 1 lb elbow macaroni according to package directions, but reduce cooking time by 2 minutes. This ensures the pasta doesn't become mushy in the baking process.
- Drain the pasta and rinse thoroughly under cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain again.
- In a large bowl, combine the crumbled sausage, 15 oz ricotta cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, and 1/2 cup pasta sauce. Mix well.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sausage and cheese mixture and stir gently to combine.
- Spread a thin layer of pasta sauce (about 1/2 cup) in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- Add one-third of the pasta mixture to the baking dish, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat layers twice more, ending with the remaining pasta mixture, the remaining mozzarella cheese (about 3/4 cup), and the remaining Parmesan/Romano cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly browned.
Nutrition Information (Approximate per serving)
Sodium
91 g
Sugar
68g
Fat
132g
Carbs
28g
