Lasagna Casserole with Chorizo

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Lasagna Casserole with chorizo is sure to be a hit at your dinner table. Loaded with classic pasta, tomato sauce, and herbs, this has a unique kick from spicy chorizo. Topped with classic melty mozzarella, it is the ideal choice to make and have on the table in just a little more than half an hour!

Lasagna Casserole

If you love lasagna, but want something a bit less labor-intensive and with tons of flavor, this lasagna casserole with chorizo sausage is the recipe for you. It's perfect for a busy weeknight meal, and everyone loves a good cheesy pasta dish.

Chorizo lends a unique flavor to this recipe, but fear not, you can easily use ground beef or pork instead if you prefer. It's versatile, simple, and definitely tasty. Plus it's great to toss into the freezer as a "make ahead" meal for later!

If you like this, then you will also love our creamy spaghetti casserole. Another tomato pasta dish with great flavor and easy steps.

baked chorizo pasta casserole in a baking dish

Ingredients:

3 tablespoon olive oil: Any neutral oil will work for this dish.
7 chorizo sausages, casing removed: You may be able to find ground chorizo without casings, but if not, buy the links and remove the casings with a knife. You can also make your own homemade chorizo if desired.
2 cups dry bow pasta: Any small pasta will work in this dish.
1 onion, chopped: White onions are perfect for baked casserole.
3 garlic cloves, minced: Be sure the garlic is fresh and smells strong after peeling off the skin.
2 tablespoon tomato paste: Freeze any leftover tomato paste in an airtight container or bag.
2 cups tomato sauce: Canned tomato sauce works well for this recipe.
2 balls of mozzarella, torn into pieces: Fresh mozzarella is delicious, but you can use shredded mozzarella if you’d like.
1 tablespoon Italian herbs: Buy a bottle of Italian herbs in the spice aisle of the grocery store.

How to make lasagna casserole :

Full directions for this recipe are below for your convenience to print. Here we will walk through the basic steps, and help you see how to prepare this casserole easily for your family.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.

2. Cook pasta in salted water half of the time that’s mentioned in the instructions.

3. Heat up olive oil in a medium skillet and cook chorizo sausages and chopped onions for 10 minutes.

chorizo sausages and onions in a saute pan

4. Season meat with salt, pepper, herbs, garlic, and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute.

5. Pour tomato sauce over the meat and wait until it reaches boiling point.

pouring tomato sauce over sausage in pan

6. Add half-cooked pasta and mix to combine.

7. Transfer the casserole into a baking pan and top with mozzarella.

two hands holding baking dish with torn mozzarella on top

8. Bake for 15 minutes.

baked chorizo pasta casserole on a white plate

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this dish overnight?

If you’d like to prepare this casserole the night before (or up to 48 hours before) you want to eat it, you can follow all the steps before baking, wrap it in plastic wrap, and put it in the refrigerator.

Can I substitute another type of protein for the chorizo?

Chorizo is a spicy sausage that not everyone will be able to tolerate. You can easily substitute ground sausage, ground beef, shredded chicken, ground turkey, or ground pork.

Can I make this lasagna casserole dish keto-friendly?

Depending upon your dietary needs, you can assemble this without the pasta, or serve it with a low-carb pasta. A good substitute for pasta in this would be zoodles or spaghetti squash. This is a great way to serve everyone in your family without having to make more than one meal.

Tips for success:

Here are a few tips for success and variations you can try to make this the best lasagna casserole you've ever had.

Instead of making this an Italian-inspired dish, swap out the Italian herbs and tomato sauce with Mexican seasonings and enchilada sauce.
Make the pasta on the side and serve the casserole over the pasta on your plate. This makes it easier to store the dish without the pasta for those who need to watch the carbohydrates.
If you can’t find a bottle of premixed Italian herbs, you can use your own blend of rosemary, oregano, basil, thyme, and parsley.

Can I make lasagna casserole in a slow cooker?

If you want to make this in your slow cooker, it is easy to do so. Simply cook the sausage and onions, and then pour them and the sauce with herbs into the slow cooker. Cook on low for at least 2 hours, but up to 8 hours.

About 30-minutes before you are ready to serve, cook the pasta as directed, for half the time suggested on the package. Drain, and put the pasta in with the sauce and cheese. Then let it finish cooking and serve once the pasta is tender.

What other ingredients can I add to this dish?

If you want to add more texture or flavor to your pasta, there are a lot of options. For this lasagna casserole, you can easily update it with one, or a few, of the items below.

Use a mix of protein with sausage, ground beef, and ground pork for a more traditional flavor profile.
Add diced bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, or squash when cooking the sausage and onions.
Stir in cottage cheese before baking for extra creaminess.
Use fresh herbs instead of dried ones for a more robust flavor.
Increase the amount of garlic, or use a roasted head of garlic for a deeper flavor.

How to Store Leftover Lasagna Casserole

To save this for later, you will want to let the casserole cool completely, then wrap it securely with plastic wrap. It is good in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. When you are ready to reheat, just microwave it in 30-second increments until it is heated through. You can also put the entire casserole dish into the oven to heat for 15 to 20 minutes if you prefer.

If you want to freeze this for later, you have two options. First, is to freeze it just before baking. Assemble, wrap in plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. When ready to prepare, let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed. Alternatively, you can put it directly from the freezer into the oven and add an additional 30 to 45 minutes to the baking time.

If you want to freeze leftovers after it has been cooked, then I recommend you let them cool completely and then cut this into individual portions. I like to wrap the portions in plastic wrap, then put them all into a freezer storage bag. You can also store them in freezer containers that can go from the freezer right to the microwave.

More Pasta Casserole Recipes

Need more inspiration? Don't miss more of our favorite pasta dishes below. Make sure that you bookmark these, print out the recipe, or pin them to Pinterest to make soon.

Yield: 6 servings

Lasagna Casserole with Chorizo

A tasty lasagna casserole with spicy chorizo is the perfect weeknight meal filled with bow-tie pasta and tons of cheese!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

3 tablespoon olive oil (15ml)
7 chorizo sausages, casing removed
2 cups dry bow pasta (200g)
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoon tomato paste (30ml)
2 cups tomato sauce (500ml)
2 balls of mozzarella, torn into pieces
1 tablespoon Italian herbs (3g)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.
Cook pasta in salted water half of the time that’s mentioned in the instructions.
Heat up olive oil in a medium skillet and cook chorizo sausages and chopped onions for 10 minutes.
Season meat with salt, pepper, herbs, garlic, and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute.
Pour tomato sauce over the meat and wait until it reaches boiling point.
Add half-cooked pasta and mix to combine.
Transfer the casserole into a baking pan and top with mozzarella.
Bake for 15 minutes.