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By far the easiest and most shared recipe is this cheesy, addicting family pleasing pasta dish. The name is derived from a family story about my brother-in-law wanting to make dinner for his then girlfriend, my sister. A friend gave him this recipe. It worked because they have been married 20 years and have 4 children. I have several tips at the bottom to make it extra tasty, so be sure to check those out.
Mostaccioli
It’s similar to penne pasta but is smooth instead of having ridges. A great substitute for mostaccioli would be penne or rigatoni.
Cook Time
Look at the suggested cooking time of the pasta on the box. If it’s 8-10 minutes, I like to taste test it at 7 minutes and then again at 8 minutes. You want the pasta cooked al dente meaning it should have a little bite with no mushiness. Plus, this pasta cooks another 30 minutes in the oven after, so you don’t have to overcook it in pasta water.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this the night before?
Yes, make it up until it is ready for the oven, Cover with foil. When ready to heat, cook as directed but you may need to add 15 minutes cooking time if it is still cold from being in the refrigerator.
What jar of marinara do you use?
I have used all kinds. Rao’s is a good brand of jarred sauce.
Luke’s Mostaccioli
Ingredients
- 1 lb. dried mostaccioli noodles
- 1 lb. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 jar (24 oz.) prepared marinara sauce
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded mozarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sausage and crumble as it cooks with a wooden spoon. Cook about 8 minutes, or until there is no pink left. Turn off heat and drain sausage on a paper towel lined plate.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente or according to the package directions. Drain water and pour noodles in a large mixing bowl.
- Add cooked sausage, sour cream, cottage cheese, half the marinara sauce, and one cup mozzarella and stir until combined.
- Pour mixture into a 9 by 13 casserole dish. Top with last cup of marinara and last cup of cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Let cool 5-10 minutes before serving.