Stuffed Paccheri with Sausage and Mushrooms is a delicious baked pasta dish, perfect for a cozy family dinner or a special occasion. This recipe features paccheri pasta stuffed with a rich filling of sausage, mushrooms, and ricotta, then topped with béchamel sauce and grated Parmigiano cheese before baking to golden perfection.
The result? A creamy, cheesy, and flavorful dish that will impress your guests. The combination of savory sausage, earthy mushrooms, and velvety béchamel creates a comforting meal, ideal for cold winter days.
Many people call this dish “stuffed paccheri cake” because of its elegant presentation. If you use a springform cake pan, the pasta stands upright, creating a beautiful cake-like shape. But don’t worry—any baking dish works just as well!
Like lasagna or cannelloni, baked stuffed paccheri is a classic Italian recipe, with each family adding its own touch. You can customize the filling based on the season or your preferences, but béchamel sauce and Parmigiano Reggiano are essential for that creamy center and crispy golden top.
Though stuffed paccheri with sausage and mushrooms takes a little time to prepare, it's absolutely worth it. Each bite is packed with incredible flavor, making it a must-try for pasta lovers.
Step 1)- Start by preparing the ingredients. Finely chop the onion into small pieces. Then, peel the two cloves of garlic.
Clean the mushrooms by gently wiping off any dirt with a slightly damp cloth—avoid washing them under running water as they absorb moisture. Once cleaned, chop the mushrooms into small pieces and set them aside.
Remove the casing of the sausage by slicing it open with a knife, then cut it into small pieces.
Step 2)- Heat a large pan over low heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Place one whole garlic clove into the pan, followed by the chopped onion. Let it sauté slowly over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Once the onion is soft, add the sausage to the pan. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until the sausage browns evenly. This should take about 5 minutes.
Step 3) - Deglaze with white wine, pouring it into the pan and letting it simmer until the alcohol evaporates completely.
Now, add the tomato paste and the chopped mushrooms to the pan. Stir well to combine everything. Increase the heat slightly and let it cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Once the mixture has reduced slightly, add salt to taste. Remove the garlic cloves. If there are large chunks of sausage, break them up with a fork to make the filling smoother.
TIP: By now, the sauce should be fully cooked. Before turning off the heat, check the consistency. The mixture should be fairly dry, as excess liquid can make the paccheri soggy. If there is still too much moisture, increase the heat and let it cook for a few more minutes until the liquid has evaporated.
Once done, remove the pan from the heat and let the filling cool until it’s just warm. This will make it easier to mix with the ricotta later.
Step 4)- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta with 100 g (1 cup) of grated Parmigiano cheese. Then, add the cooled sausage and mushroom mixture. Stir everything together until well combined. Taste and adjust the salt if necessary. This is the filling for your paccheri.
Cook the Paccheri Pasta
Step 5) - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the paccheri pasta and cook them only halfway through the recommended cooking time on the package. They should be firm since they will finish cooking in the oven.
Once half-cooked, drain the paccheri carefully and transfer them to a large bowl. Drizzle with a little olive oil and gently toss them to prevent sticking. Be very careful not to break them, as they need to hold their shape for stuffing. Set them aside.
Assemble and Bake
Step 6)- Take a 22 cm (9-inch) round baking dish and spread half of the béchamel sauce evenly across the bottom. Then, arrange the paccheri upright, placing them side by side in concentric circles, starting from the outer edge and working your way inward. They should be tightly packed together, forming a beautiful circular pattern in the dish.
Step 7)- Now, fill the paccheri with the prepared sausage and mushroom mixture.
For an easier process, transfer the filling into a pastry bag (without a nozzle) and pipe it into each pacchero. If you don’t have a pastry bag, you can use a small teaspoon, carefully spooning the filling into each piece of pasta.
Once all the paccheri are stuffed and neatly arranged, sprinkle the remaining grated Parmigiano cheese over the top.
Step 8)- Finally, pour the remaining béchamel sauce evenly over the stuffed paccheri, ensuring all of them are well covered. This will help create a deliciously creamy texture and a golden crust when baked.
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
Place the baking dish on the center rack and bake for about 20 minutes, or until you see a golden-brown crust forming on the surface. If needed, you can turn on the broiler for the last 2-3 minutes to make the top extra crispy.
Once baked, remove the stuffed paccheri with sausage and mushrooms from the oven and let them rest for 10 minutes before serving. This resting time helps the dish set and hold its shape when served.
If you have leftovers, you can store stuffed paccheri in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Place them in an airtight container or cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to keep them fresh.
To reheat, bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 10-15 minutes, or until heated through.
You can also freeze baked stuffed paccheri for up to 1 month. Let them cool completely, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or wrap them well with plastic wrap and foil.
To reheat from frozen, bake directly in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 25-30 minutes, covering with foil for the first half of the time to prevent drying out.
For the best texture and flavor, it's recommended to consume fresh rather than freezing, as the béchamel sauce may slightly change consistency after thawing.
Variations
Mushroom and Ricotta Stuffed Paccheri – If you prefer a meat-free version with extra mushrooms, simply omit the sausage and increase the amount of mushrooms in the filling. The combination of mushrooms, ricotta, and Parmigiano creates a delicious, earthy flavor that’s perfect for vegetarians or mushroom lovers.
Stuffed Paccheri with Sausage (no Mushrooms) – Not a fan of mushrooms? No problem! Just leave them out and keep the original filling of sausage, ricotta, and béchamel sauce. You’ll still get a deliciously creamy and flavorful dish with a rich meaty taste.
White Stuffed Paccheri (No Tomato Sauce) – For a "bianco" version (white sauce only), simply skip the tomato paste and cook the sausage with just onion and white wine. This variation lets the béchamel sauce and Parmigiano shine, resulting in an extra creamy and delicate baked pasta dish.
Recipe Card
STEP BY STEP PHOTOS ABOVE!Have a look at my step-by-step photo instructions, variations and tips. That way, you can get it perfect the first time you try it!
Stuffed Paccheri with Sausage and Mushrooms is a delicious baked pasta dish, perfect for a cozy family dinner or a special occasion.This recipe features paccheri pasta stuffed with a rich filling of sausage, mushrooms, and ricotta, then topped with béchamel sauce and grated Parmigiano cheese before baking to golden perfection.
300gmushrooms- 10 oz, (Champignon or Baby Bella mushrooms)
300gsausage- 10 oz
200gParmigiano Reggiano- 7 oz
300gricotta- 10 oz
250gbechamel sauce- 9 oz
1small onion
2garlic cloves
50gdry white wine- 8 oz
4tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
1tablespoontomato paste
saltto taste
Instructions
Make the Filling
Start by preparing the ingredients. Finely chop the onion into small pieces. Then, peel the two cloves of garlic. Clean the mushrooms by gently wiping off any dirt with a slightly damp cloth—avoid washing them under running water as they absorb moisture. Once cleaned, chop the mushrooms into small pieces and set them aside. Remove the casing of the sausage by slicing it open with a knife, then cut it into small pieces.
Heat a large pan over low heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Place one whole garlic clove into the pan, followed by the chopped onion. Let it sauté slowly over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Once the onion is soft, add the sausage to the pan. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until the sausage browns evenly. This should take about 5 minutes.
Deglaze with white wine, pouring it into the pan and letting it simmer until the alcohol evaporates completely.
Now, add the tomato paste and the chopped mushrooms to the pan. Stir well to combine everything. Increase the heat slightly and let it cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Once the mixture has reduced slightly, add salt to taste. Remove the garlic cloves. If there are large chunks of sausage, break them up with a fork to make the filling smoother.
Once done, remove the pan from the heat and let the filling cool until it’s just warm. This will make it easier to mix with the ricotta later.
In a large bowl, combine the ricotta with 100 g (1 cup) of grated Parmigiano cheese. Then, add the cooled sausage and mushroom mixture. Stir everything together until well combined. Taste and adjust the salt if necessary. This is the filling for your paccheri.
Cook the Paccheri Pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the paccheri pasta and cook them only halfway through the recommended cooking time on the package. They should be firm since they will finish cooking in the oven.
Once half-cooked, drain the paccheri carefully and transfer them to a large bowl. Drizzle with a little olive oil and gently toss them to prevent sticking. Be very careful not to break them, as they need to hold their shape for stuffing. Set them aside.
Assemble and Bake
Take a 22 cm (9-inch) round baking dish and spread half of the béchamel sauce evenly across the bottom. Then, arrange the paccheri upright, placing them side by side in concentric circles, starting from the outer edge and working your way inward. They should be tightly packed together, forming a beautiful circular pattern in the dish.
Now, fill the paccheri with the prepared sausage and mushroom mixture. For an easier process, transfer the filling into a pastry bag (without a nozzle) and pipe it into each pacchero. If you don’t have a pastry bag, you can use a small teaspoon, carefully spooning the filling into each piece of pasta.
Once all the paccheri are stuffed and neatly arranged, sprinkle the remaining grated Parmigiano cheese over the top.
Finally, pour the remaining béchamel sauce evenly over the stuffed paccheri, ensuring all of them are well covered. This will help create a deliciously creamy texture and a golden crust when baked.
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Place the baking dish on the center rack and bake for about 20 minutes, or until you see a golden-brown crust forming on the surface. If needed, you can turn on the broiler for the last 2-3 minutes to make the top extra crispy.
Once baked, remove the stuffed paccheri with sausage and mushrooms from the oven and let them rest for 10 minutes before serving. This resting time helps the dish set and hold its shape when served.
Notes
TIP: Before turning off the heat, check the consistency of the filling. The mixture should be fairly dry, as excess liquid can make the paccheri soggy. If there is still too much moisture, increase the heat and let it cook for a few more minutes until the liquid has evaporated.
Leave a Reply