Baked Pizza Pasta

🧂 Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 6 oz. package miniature pepperoni
• 1/2 large onion

  diced
• 2 cloves garlic

  minced
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 8 oz. bulk sweet Italian sausage
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 14.5 oz. can low-sodium chicken broth
• 8 oz. rotini

  or fusilli pasta, dried
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese

  freshly shredded
• 1 tsp. Fresh flat-leaf parsley

  or basil leaves, for garnish

Instructions

• 1 Preheat oven to 350°.
• 2 Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• 3 Sauté mini pepperonis for 1-2 minutes, until they start to crispen.
• 4 Remove pepperonis to drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
• 5 Add onion and red pepper flakes to pan and sauté until onions start to soften
  and become translucent.
• 6 Add garlic.
• 7 Crumble the sausage into the pan, breaking it up with a hamburger chopper as it
  cooks.
• 8 After sausage has browned add tomato paste.
• 9 Cook about one minute.
• 10 Add crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, uncooked pasta and oregano.
• 11 Stir ingredients to combine well.
• 12 Bring to a simmer and stir in half of mini pepperonis.
• 13 Cover Dutch oven with lid and reduce heat to low.
• 14 Allow ingredients to cook, covered, until the pasta is cooked through and sauce
  has thickened, about 15-20 minutes.
• 15 Remove lid and stir ingredients.
• 16 Check seasonings.
• 17 Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition Info