Pizza Pasta Bake

Prep Time: 20 Min.
Total Time: 30 Min.
Servings: 8

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Don’t call for takeout pizza tonight. In just 30 minutes, you can create this cheesy, crave-able dish, made with just a few simple ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 1 package (16 oz) penne pasta
  • 3 links sweet Italian sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices
  • 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
  • 1 can (15 oz) Muir Glen™ organic pizza sauce
  • 1 can (6 oz) pitted ripe olives, drained, sliced
  • 1 can (4 oz) mushrooms pieces and stems, drained
  • 1 large bunch fresh basil, stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup sliced pepperoni

Nutrition

1 Serving Calories 550  (Calories from Fat 200);  Total Fat 22g  (Saturated Fat 8g,  Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 45mg;  Sodium 1300mg;  Total Carbohydrate 60g  (Dietary Fiber 5g,  Sugars 6g);  Protein 26g
% Daily Value: Vitamin A  20%;  Vitamin C  10%;  Calcium 35%;  Iron  25%;
Exchanges: 3 Starch, 1/2 Other Carbohydrate, 1 Vegetable, 1 Medium-Fat Meat, 1 High-Fat Meat, 1 1/2 Fat
Carbohydrate Choice: 4

To make this dish more “figure-friendly,” use Italian turkey sausage and turkey pepperoni. Give this casserole a spicy kick by adding 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to the pizza sauce before mixing it with the pasta.

Preparation

  1. Heat oven to 450°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package, using minimum cook time.
  2. Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet, cook sausage, bell pepper and onion over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until sausage is no longer pink and vegetables are crisp-tender.
  3. In baking dish, mix pasta and pizza sauce. Add sausage-vegetable mixture, olives, mushrooms and basil; toss until well combined. Sprinkle with cheeses; top with pepperoni.
  4. Bake uncovered 8 to 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted.