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MAINS

Spicy Pasta and Sausage Bake

Read the grid left to right: chorizo and onion brown first, garlic blooms briefly, then broth, tomatoes, cream, and pasta all go in together and simmer down into the sauce before a broiler finish melts the cheese on top.

OriginAmerican, Tex-Mex-leaning skillet bake
Active25 min
Total30 min
EquipmentLarge ovensafe skillet, wooden spoon
Sauté heat
MED-HIGH
Chorizo & onion, ~8 min
Simmer
MED-LOW
Covered, ~15 min, stirring often
Broiler
HIGH
Upper-middle rack, preheated before you start
Broil
~3min
Until spotty brown
1 · BROWN 2 · COMBINE & BOIL 3 · SIMMER 4 · STIR IN & TOP 5 · BROIL
1 lb ≈ 454 g chorizo, halved & sliced thin Browned with the onion over med-high, ~8 min.
1 onion, chopped fine In with the chorizo from the start, ~8 min.
4 cloves garlic, minced In for the last 30 sec, just until fragrant.
3 cups ≈ 710 mL low-sodium chicken broth Stirred in, brought to a boil. Reduces as the penne drinks it up -- this is the whole sauce.
1 can (10 oz / 283 g) Ro-Tel tomatoes Stirred in undrained, brought to a boil. Cooks down into the sauce -- and sets the heat level.
1/2 cup ≈ 118 mL heavy cream Stirred in, brought to a boil. Thickens as the sauce reduces.
12 oz ≈ 340 g penne Stirred in dry -- no separate pot. Bring to a boil. Covered, med-low, ~15 min until tender. Stir often so it doesn't catch.
1/2 tsp each ≈ 2.5 mL salt & pepper Stirred in with the liquids.
2 cups (225 g) pepper Jack, shredded, divided Off the heat: 1/2 cup stirred through1 Melts and browns under the broiler, ~3 min, until spotty brown.
4 scallions, sliced thin Sprinkled over the top out of the broiler. Serve immediately.
  1. pepper Jack, shredded, divided · STIR IN & TOP The remaining 1 1/2 cups scattered over the top.
Protein
Produce
Dairy & Egg
Pantry & Grain
Spice & Seasoning
Liquid & Fat

Notes

The broth measurement is doing double duty. There's no separate pasta-boiling step -- the broth cooks the penne directly in the skillet, and by the time the pasta is tender the liquid has reduced down into the sauce. Don't drain anything.
Stir frequently during the simmer. Penne cooking in a shallow, starchy liquid can catch on the bottom of the skillet -- a lower simmer with regular stirring prevents scorching without needing more broth.
Preheat the broiler early. Set the oven rack to upper-middle and start the broiler before the chorizo goes in. It has to be fully hot when the pasta finishes simmering -- starting it at the simmer wastes the 3-minute broil window waiting for it to come up to temp.
Milder version. Swap the Ro-Tel for 1 1/4 cups (300 mL) canned diced tomatoes if you want less heat -- the Ro-Tel is the main spice driver here, not the chorizo.
Sausage substitution. Andouille, linguiça, or kielbasa all work in place of chorizo if that's what's on hand.
Leftovers. Reheats well covered in a low oven (300°F/150°C) -- the sauce thickens further in the fridge, so loosen it with a splash of broth or water.
Adapted America's Test Kitchen, "Spicy Pasta Bake with Sausage" (October 7, 2011). Reprinted in The Best Simple Recipes, p. 266, as "Spicy Pasta and Sausage Bake" -- the edition Jason photographed. https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/4108-spicy-pasta-bake-with-sausage