Chicken Sausage, Mushroom, and Pasta Casserole

9
Points®
Total Time
48 min
Prep
18 min
Cook
25 min
Serves
8
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

Uncooked whole wheat pasta

12 oz, rotini (about 3 cups)

Extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp

Panko breadcrumbs

½ cup(s)

Grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp

Dried oregano

1 tsp

Cooked chicken sausage

½ pound(s), Italian-style, thinly sliced

Bell pepper

1 item(s), medium, yellow variety, thinly sliced

Uncooked onion

1 medium, chopped

Cremini mushroom

1 pound(s), or white variety, sliced

Water

2 Tbsp

Store-bought marinara sauce

4 cup(s)

Shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

1 cup(s)

Cooking spray

1 spray(s)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
  2. Cook rotini according to package directions. Drain in colander and return to pot.
  3. Meanwhile, heat oil in large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add panko; reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer to small bowl; stir in Parmesan and oregano. Set aside. Wipe skillet clean.
  4. Put sausage in skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate and drain off any fat from skillet. Add bell pepper and onion to skillet; cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until vegetables start to brown and soften, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and water; cook, stirring, until mushrooms are softened, about 8 minutes.
  5. Add vegetables, sausage, and marinara to rotini; stir until mixed well. Spoon into prepared baking dish and sprinkle with mozzarella and reserved panko mixture. Bake until heated through and cheese is melted, about 25 minutes.
  6. Per serving: 1 1/2 cups

Notes

To make this dish ahead, prepare steps 2 through 5 of the recipe, setting aside the mozzarella, 1/2 cup of the sauce, and the panko mixture. Wrap the casserole tightly in plastic and refrigerate up to 2 days. To reheat, let the casserole come to room temperature; drizzle with the reserved sauce, sprinkle with the cheese and panko mixture, and bake as directed.