Name: Spicy Pasta Bake with Sausage
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 pound Spanish-style chorizo sausage , halved lengthwise and sliced thin; 1 onion , chopped fine; 4 garlic cloves , minced; 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 1 (10-ounce) can Ro-Tel tomatoes (see note); 1/2 cup heavy cream; 12 ounces penne pasta; Salt and pepper; 2 cups shredded pepper Jack cheese; 4 scallions , sliced thin

Why This Recipe Works

Baked pasta is an easy, hearty weeknight recipe. In our Spicy Pasta Bake with Sausage, spicy chorizo sausage and Ro-Tel tomatoes—canned tomatoes with chopped green chiles—add a bit of heat, which cuts through the creamy sauce and cheese. Widely available kielbasa can be substituted if the imported Spanish chorizo isn’t available; the garlicky flavor and assertive spicing of the kielbasa are a close match. Preparing the sauce in the same pan used to brown the sausage allowed it to pick up any browned bits (called fond) left behind by the meat. They may not look like much, but they add valuable flavor to the sauce and punch up the flavor of our Spicy Pasta Bake with Sausage.

Before You Begin

If you want a less-spicy dish or can’t find Ro-Tel tomatoes, substitute 1 1/4 cups canned diced tomatoes. Andouille, linguica, or kielbasa sausage can be substituted for the chorizo.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat broiler. Cook chorizo and onion in large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in broth, tomatoes, cream, pasta, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring to boil. Cover pan and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring frequently, until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes.

Off heat, uncover pan and stir in 1/2 cup cheese. Top with remaining cheese and broil until cheese is melted and spotty brown, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with scallions. Serve.