This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Barilla® and Johnsonville®. The opinions and texts are all mine.

Let’s be honest – whether you love cooking or not, none of us have a ton of time to spend on dinner. Between homework, soccer games, and other appointments, there’s only so much we can do – but we still want a delicious, hot meal ready for our family. I’m so glad I have some amazing go-to recipes that don’t take a ton of work, and also don’t break the bank. This Cheesy Sausage Pasta Casserole is a big winner with our family!

You can whip up this tasty dish for less than $10, and easily grab all the ingredients you need at your local Kroger store. The main stars of this particular recipes are the Barilla Pasta (look for the Barilla Blue Box), Italy’s #1 brand of pasta, and the Johnsonville Mild Italian Sausage (ground). You CAN use the sausage links instead, but it works best with the ground so you can have some in every bite of the casserole.

The Barilla pasta makes the perfect Al Dente texture, making dinner not only quick and easy, but versatile! We moms can sure appreciate versatility, right? The Johnsonville Sausage is convenient and full of flavor – the spices are built in, making recipe prep super simple. Since we want to provide the best for our families, we can definitely appreciate that they’re packed with protein, and a great flavor ‘swap’ for ground beef and/or ground turkey.

Makes One 9×13 Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 box Barilla Blue Box Pasta – Penne, Rotini or similar
• 8 oz. Johnsonville Mild Italian Sausage Ground
• 2 tbsp. Olive or Vegetable Oil
• 16-20 oz. Barilla Pasta Sauce of choice
• 2 tbsp. Basil, ground (plus some for topping)
• 1 cup Tomatoes, diced
• 1 1/2 tbsp. Minced Garlic
• 1 cup Cheese, shredded (combo of Romano, Asiago & Parmesan, as desired)
• 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded, for topping
• Salt, to taste

Note: The Johnsonville Sausage comes in a 16 oz. pack, so you can make a double batch and freeze the extra casserole for later!

Directions

1. Bake Barilla Pasta according to package directions, to al dente. Meanwhile, heat the olive/vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the Johnsonville Sausage until cooked through, stirring often to prevent burning.
2. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. Spray or line a 9×13 baking dish (or two if you’re doubling the recipe), set aside.
3. When the sausage is done, add the diced tomatoes and minced garlic to the skillet and continue cooking, still stirring often, about 2 minutes or until fragrant.
4. In a large bowl, stir the Barilla Pasta Sauce with the basil. Add a little salt, to taste. Mix in the shredded cheese trio (the Asiago, Romano and Parmesan combo) until well-combined.
5. Add the pasta and sausage mixture to the bowl and stir until everything is well-mixed. Spread into the prepared baking dish. Top with shredded mozzarella and a bit more basil for garnish. Cook, uncovered, about 15-20 minutes or until the cheese on top is melted. Serve and enjoy!

You’ll love the cheesy, meaty flavor in this pasta casserole – plus it makes putting a crowd-pleasing dinner on the table a breeze! Swing by Kroger and grab your ingredients, then get cooking for a delicious meal your whole family will love!

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