THE BEST CHICKEN SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS MACARONI CASSEROLE

THE BEST CHICKEN SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS MACARONI CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS:

  • 14 ounces chicken sausage, casings removed
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 medium red pepper, chopped
  • 1 medium yellow pepper, chopped
  • 3 cloves chopped garlic
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 1 (14.5 oz can) petite diced tomatoes, drained
  • 2 cups marinara sauce (I used my own homemade)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning or dried thyme
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 8 oz uncooked Delallo whole wheat or gluten free elbows

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. In a large deep non-stick skillet, brown the sausage over high heat until cooked through, seasoning with a pinch of salt and breaking it up into smaller pieces as it cooks. Set aside on a dish.
  3. Add olive oil to the skillet, reduce heat to medium and add the onions,
    garlic and peppers; sauté until the vegetables soft, about 6 to 7
    minutes.
  4. Return the sausage to the skillet along with the remaining ingredients except for the pasta and cheese.
  5. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
  6. Spoon just enough of the sausage/vegetable mixture to cover the bottom of a 9×13 pan.
  7. Cover with uncooked pasta. Spoon remaining sauce mixture evenly over the top and sprinkle with cheese.
  8. Cover with foil and bake 50-55 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand, covered, for 15 minutes.
  9. Divide into 8 servings.

NUTRITION INFORMATION:

Yield: 8, Serving Size: 1 1/4 cups

  • Amount Per Serving:
  • Freestyle Points: 8
  • Points +: 8
  • Calories: 326 calories
  • Total Fat: 13g
  • Saturated Fat: 9g
  • Cholesterol: 61mg
  • Sodium: 574mg
  • Carbohydrates: 32g
  • Fiber: 5g
  • Sugar: 2g
  • Protein: 19g