Sausage and Crispy Pepperoni Pasta Bake
If you are looking for a comforting, crowd-pleasing dinner, this Sausage and pepperoni pasta bake is exactly what you need. Packed with rich tomato sauce, crispy pepperoni, and gooey mozzarella, it transforms simple pantry ingredients into a decadent baked pasta dish that everyone will love. I love using sausage and pepperoni together because the combination gives the bake a deep, savory flavour while keeping the texture interesting.
Equipment
- Large pan or oven proof dish
- Baking dish
- Oven or Air fryer
- Large Pot
Ingredients
- 4 pork sausages
- 1-2 tablespoon olive oil
- 90 g pepperoni slices
- 1 shallot
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds crushed
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree
- 800 g chopped tomatoes 2 x 400g cans
- 300 g penne pasta
- 125-250 g grated fresh mozzarella depending on cheesy preference
- 2 tablespoon pesto
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Remove sausage casings and crumble the meat into the pan. Fry, stirring occasionally, until browned and slightly caramelised. While the sausage cooks, prepare the pepperoni. Slice half into strips for the sauce. For the crispy topping, place the remaining full pepperoni in an air fryer at 200C for 5-10 mins until golden and crunchy. You can also bake them in the oven on a lined tray for 10-15 minutes at 200C. Set aside on paper towels to drain.4 pork sausages, 1-2 tbsp olive oil, 90 g pepperoni slices
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne for a minute less than package instructions. Add the chopped shallot to the sausage and fry until softened. Stir in garlic and the sliced pepperoni strips, cooking for a minute until fragrant. Mix in tomato puree, then pour in the chopped tomatoes with oregano and sugar. Allow to simmer gently while the pasta cooks, stirring occasionally.1 shallot, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp tomato puree, 800 g chopped tomatoes, 300 g penne pasta
- Drain the pasta, reserving a little pasta water. Add the pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat thoroughly. If the sauce needs loosening, add a splash of the reserved water. Transfer everything to your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over the top and bake at 200C for 15 minutes until golden and bubbling.125-250 g grated fresh mozzarella
- Finish by adding the crispy pepperoni on top and drizzling with pesto.2 tbsp pesto
Notes
Browning the sausage properly is key to flavor. I like to break it into small crumbles so it cooks evenly and releases its fat, which adds richness to the sauce. Crispy pepperoni adds texture contrast. Air-frying works best, but oven-baking at 200C on parchment paper also crisps without drying out.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!