I cannot get over how delicious (and how easy!) this saucy high protein sausage and peppers pasta bake is! It’s the ultimate weeknight dinner with nearly 30g protein per serving and just 15 minutes of prep. Just pour everything into your baking dish (no need to boil the noodles first!) and let the oven do the work. Packed with juicy Italian sausage, high-protein penne noodles, diced red peppers, and jarred marinara sauce for ultimate ease, it’s as nourishing as it is delicious…even my kids lick their plates clean!

A plate of baked pasta with tomato sauce, sausage, and grated cheese is garnished with fresh basil. Nearby are a baking dish of pasta, a bowl of chopped herbs, grated cheese, and red pepper flakes.

If you’re anything like me, there are (many) nights when you need a low-effort dinner without reaching for the delivery app. Enter: this high protein sausage pasta bake. It is saucy, flavourful, and protein-packed for a healthy pasta dinner that’s much more filling than your typical bowl of noods. (PS, it’s killer served with my almost-famous kale caesar salad on the side) .

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As a dietitian, I’ve heard far too many times to count, that pasta is “bad” for you. So first, let’s clear that up. Carbs are not “bad”, in fact they’re actually our body’s preferred source of fuel! 

That said, pasta dishes typically lean heavily on the noodles, with maybe a little sprinkle of a vegetable here and a touch of protein mixed in there. Without the balance of protein and fiber, this type of meal is going to have a greater impact on blood sugars, and requires a lot more to fill us up and keep us full.

So while there’s absolutely nothing “unhealthy” about pasta, adding some extra protein and veggies goes a long way in making this recipe a balanced, family-friendly dinner that will leave you feeling satisfied and energized, not needing a nap on the couch. Haha. (this super quick chicken BLT pasta salad is another go-to when I want something similar for an easy meal prep lunch!).

And the best part? 

You literally dump everything into one dish, cover it, and let the oven do its thing. 

Minimal effort. 

Maximum payoff. 

My favorite kind of cooking.

Ok now that we’ve got that sorted…

Huddle in for my dietitian success tips to make this the best high protein pasta dish you’ve ever had.

Top-down view of labeled ingredients for a high protein pasta bake, including penne, diced tomatoes, bell peppers, marinara sauce, Italian sausage, chicken stock, parmesan cheese, basil, garlic, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.

While of course I love to sneak in extra nutrition wherever I can, I still wanted this one to feel as cozy and comforting as a hug from mom (for real, this recipe was inspired by my all time favourite pasta dish my own mom made growing up, and still makes to this day!). 

I took all the flavour stars of her original recipe, but applied my busy mom lens to make it super simple to whip together. Here’s how we’re achieving ease, flavour and balanced nutrition all with equal success.

Raw chicken sausage cooked right in for the best flavour and protein boost! I like to make this with chicken sausage for a leaner protein option, but you can totally use regular Italian sausage too! I did test this dish with both cooked and raw chicken sausage and I found the raw sausage added more depth of flavour as its juices cooked into the sauce. 

Use a high-protein pasta to keep things simple: In order to boost the protein without messing with the noodle-to-sauce-to-meat ratio, I love using high protein pasta noodles! That said, this recipe will also work with regular pasta, so feel free to use whatever you have on hand!

Make sure the noodles are completely covered before baking. Since we’re tossing raw noodles into the mix, they need to be fully covered in liquid to make sure they “boil”. The sauce might seem like it’s too thick to do the job, but trust me, it’s perfect. I tested this recipe with just a ½ cup of extra broth and it turned out kinda soupy. Stick to the ½ cup broth as the peppers will also release a lot of moisture as they bake!

Don’t skip the resting stage after baking! Because this casserole is baked covered, the sauce is on the more liquid side when it first comes out of the oven. As the starches cool, it thickens up quite a bit! I like my pasta really saucy so I don’t mind it served right away, but for the best sauce consistency, let it rest (uncovered) for about 10 minutes.

Let’s Make This Dump & Bake Protein Pasta Together

A glass baking dish lined with parchment paper, filled with layers of tomato sauce, crumbled sausage, garlic, and herbs, ready to be baked.
Dump everything right into the baking dish
A glass baking dish lined with parchment paper is filled with a chunky tomato and ground meat mixture, spread evenly and ready to be baked.
Stir it up and make sure the noodles are fully covered
A rectangular baking dish covered tightly with crinkled aluminum foil sits on a light pink surface.
Cover tightly (you don’t want the steam escaping)
A wooden spoon scoops baked penne pasta with tomato sauce and grated cheese from a parchment-lined baking dish. The pasta is garnished with fresh herbs and topped with shredded cheese.
Bake, then top with parm and basil and dig in!

And enjoy those leftovers. I designed this recipe to serve six so that hopefully you’ve got some leftovers!  Because bakes are perfect for higher yield recipes, and if you’re putting in the effort anyway, why not make extra. Plus,  I swear it’s even better the next day!

How to make them

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Baked pasta with tomato sauce, ground meat, and cheese is served on a plate with a basil leaf garnish. Nearby are bowls of grated cheese, chopped basil, and red pepper flakes. A fork rests on the plate.

Easy High Protein Pasta with Sausage & Peppers (Dump-and-Bake!)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Lindsay Pleskot, RD
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45-55 minutes
  • Total Time: 65 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Mains
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Diet: Diabetic
Print Recipe

Description

I cannot get over how delicious (and how easy!) this high protein sausage and peppers pasta bake is! It’s the ultimate weeknight dinner with nearly 30g protein per serving and just 15 minutes of prep. Just pour everything into your baking dish (no need to boil the noodles first!) and let the oven do the work. Packed with juicy Italian sausage, high-protein penne noodles, diced red peppers, and jarred marinara sauce for ultimate ease, it’s as nourishing as it is delicious…even my kids lick their plates clean!

Ingredients

Scale

Ingredients

  • 190g (about 2 cups) high protein penne noodles, uncooked 
  • 500g Italian sausage, casing removed and broken into bite sized pieces (I used chicken sausage) 
  • 1 28oz can diced tomatoes, liquid drained
  • 1 650 ml jar Marinara sauce
  • ½ cup chicken stock 
  • 2 red bell peppers, diced (just over 2 cups diced)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning 
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated, for serving
  • 1 bunch basil, roughly chopped, for serving
  • Chili flakes, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Line a 19×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper.  Add the uncooked penne noodles, sausage, drained tomatoes, marinara sauce, chicken stock, bell peppers, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine, ensuring the pasta noodles are distributed evenly and fully submerged in the liquid.
  3. Cover tightly with foil, sealing well to prevent any steam from escaping. Bake for 45–55 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente (they will continue to cook a bit as the casserole rests after baking).
  4. Remove from the oven and let the pasta rest uncovered for about 10 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. Give it a good stir, then top with parmesan cheese, basil, and chili flakes if using. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Pasta noodles: while I designed this recipe with high protein noodles and think it works best with these, I did test it with regular pasta noodles as well anticipating some of you may make it this way! Because the traditional noodles don’t absorb quite as much liquid I found that 2 1/4 cups of noodles worked when using these to absorb all the sauce. They also cook a bit quicker, so I’d recommend checking around the 40 minute mark to ensure they don’t overcook. Keep in mind there will be a bit of residual cooking as they sit after baking (like with the high protein noodles, make sure to let the bake rest before serving so the sauce can thicken).

 

Peppers: because the size of bell peppers can vary quite a bit, I’ve included an approximate measurement (this is for two medium bell peppers). They release a lot of moisture when cooked, so aim to use approximately the same measurement to prevent significant changes to the sauce consistency and outcome.