This Red and White Pasta is simple, hearty, absolutely delicious and comes together in no time at all. The perfect meal for a house full of hungry boys (or anyone!).
I definitely have a love/hate relationship when it comes to blogging a pasta recipe.
I love to make it, eat it, and share the recipes, but I hate photographing it. I just do. I think it’s a complete pain in the butt (actually, I think all food photography is a pain. . . ugh!) and pasta just frustrates me to try and photograph. So you just have to trust me when I tell you this Red and White Pasta is so fabulous! The pictures don’t even do it justice.
We inhaled it the other night and two of my boys were staking their claims on the leftovers for lunch the next day. You should have seen their faces when I told them they couldn’t have any because I needed what was left to attempt taking pictures of. You would have thought their lives had ended.
Seriously you guys, this stuff is sooo good! I love the simplicity of it and I love how hearty and filling it is. I served it with some french bread and a green salad and it was the perfect, simple, delicious dinner. I can’t wait to make this again.
- 1 lb. mild breakfast sausage
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 bottle of your favorite marinara sauce
- 4 Tbs. butter
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 8- oz. package cream cheese, room temp
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 box (16 oz) Penne pasta (I only used 3/4 of the box)
- 2 cups shredded Mozzarella
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Spray a 9x13 pan and set aside.
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Cook pasta according to package directions.
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In a large skillet, cook the sausage with the onion and garlic until the sausage is long longer pink. Drain any grease and add the bottle of marinara sauce. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
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In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the whipping cream, cream cheese, garlic and parmesan. Whisk together until smooth and thick (about 2-3 minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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After pasta is cooked, drain, and dump the cooked pasta into the bottom of the prepared 9x13 pan.
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Pour the white sauce over the cooked pasta and give a few little stirs to help the white sauce cover all the noodles. Next, pour the red sauce over the top of that and spread evenly. Evenly sprinkle shredded mozzarella on top and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
I like my pasta dishes to be a little "wetter" so I only cooked about 3/4 of the box of pasta. I was a little worried after I poured the white sauce over the cooked pasta because it seemed like too much sauce for the amount of pasta, but after it baked, the sauce absorbed into the pasta and it was perfect. I wouldn't have wanted any more pasta in it.
The recipe calls for breakfast sausage which I used, but you could absolutely substitute mild or hot Italian sausage in its place.
Recipe Source: Becoming Betty
Ok, so I have veered from your cookies to this fabulous dish. I made it so we could have it after church. It was delicious! The whole family enjoyed it. This is definitely going into my rotation. And I do agree 3/4 of the penne pasta was a good idea. I also used turkey Italian sausage as our family likes the flavor. It was a little over 1# but it worked. Thanks for posting a great dish!
Hi Linda, so happy to hear you love this pasta. It’s one of our favorites and I really don’t make it often enough. Hey, just so you know, there is nothing wrong with making cookies AND pasta. . . don’t they go perfectly together. LOL! If you have any fabulous recipes I should try, send them my way! Have a great week!