This oven baked 4-ingredient creamy chorizo pasta is one of those cozy, no-fuss dinners I picked up from my cousin during a busy soccer season. It’s spicy, creamy, and incredibly addicting, and you mix everything right in a foil pan so cleanup is easy. With just pasta, spicy chorizo, jarred tomato pasta sauce, and heavy cream, you get that rich, reddish sauce that bubbles around the edges and clings to every bite of tender pasta. It’s perfect for feeding a hungry family on a weeknight or bringing to a potluck when you don’t have time (or energy) for a long ingredient list.
Serve this creamy chorizo pasta straight from the foil pan with a simple green salad and some crusty bread or garlic toast to soak up the extra sauce. A side of steamed green beans or roasted broccoli balances the richness nicely. If you like a little extra heat, set out red pepper flakes at the table so everyone can adjust the spice level for themselves. It also reheats well for lunches the next day, so don’t be afraid to bake it a bit ahead and keep it warm in the oven until everyone’s home.
Oven Baked Creamy Chorizo PastaServings: 4-6
Ingredients
12 oz (about 4 cups) uncooked short pasta (penne, rigatoni, or fusilli)
8 oz spicy chorizo sausage, casings removed and crumbled
2 cups jarred tomato pasta sauce (your favorite marinara or tomato-basil)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Place a medium-size disposable foil baking pan (or a regular 9x13-inch baking dish lined with foil) on a sheet pan for extra stability and easier cleanup.
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the crumbled chorizo for 5–7 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon as it browns. It does not need to be fully crisp, just cooked through and fragrant. Turn off the heat and set aside.
In the foil pan, add the uncooked pasta, cooked chorizo (along with any flavorful oil from the pan), jarred tomato pasta sauce, and heavy cream.
Stir everything together right in the foil pan until the pasta is well coated and the chorizo is evenly distributed. The mixture will look very saucy at this point—that’s what you want, because the pasta will soak it up as it bakes.
Cover the foil pan tightly with another sheet of foil, crimping the edges so steam can’t easily escape. This helps the pasta cook through and keeps the sauce creamy.
Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the top foil (watch for hot steam), give the pasta a good stir to loosen any pieces that may be sticking, and check a piece of pasta for doneness. It should be mostly tender but can still have a little bite.
Return the pan to the oven, uncovered, and bake for another 10–15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender, the sauce is thickened and creamy, and the edges are bubbling with a rich reddish color.
Let the pasta rest for 5–10 minutes before serving so the sauce can settle and cling to the noodles. Serve straight from the foil pan, scooping down to get plenty of creamy sauce and chorizo in every portion.
Variations & Tips
For milder palates or picky eaters, swap the spicy chorizo for a mild version or use half spicy and half mild to ease into the heat. If your family prefers extra saucy pasta, add an extra 1/4–1/2 cup of heavy cream before baking. To stretch the meal for a crowd, stir in an additional 4 oz of pasta and a splash more cream and sauce, then bake a few minutes longer until tender. If you like a bit of texture on top, you can loosely tent the foil instead of sealing it for the last 5–10 minutes to encourage more browning around the edges. For make-ahead prep, assemble everything in the foil pan, cover tightly, and refrigerate up to 24 hours; when ready to bake, add 5–10 extra minutes to the covered baking time. Leftovers reheat nicely in the oven, covered with foil at 325°F, or in the microwave with a spoonful of cream or water stirred in to loosen the sauce.
