Sausage-Pimiento Cheese Pasta Rollups

Pimiento cheese and pasta? Yes, please!

By Karen Schroeder-Rankin

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Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch

Recipe Summary

total:
40 mins
active:
25 mins
Servings:
6
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Pimiento cheese is just about as Southern as it gets, and this decadent spread stars in our new favorite supper: Sausage-Pimiento Cheese Pasta Rollups.

Think of these pretty pasta spirals like a free-form, pre-portioned lasagna. These pimiento cheese rollups make a perfect weeknight supper or dinner party main—they're really that versatile. A trifecta of pimento cheese, mozzarella, and ricotta make this pasta recipe ultra-rich; additional diced pimentos bump up the flavor and the color of the whole dish. We recommend using chicken (not pork) sausage in this recipe because it has less fat and will keep the sauce from being greasy.

It's important to have all your prep work done before you begin rolling the pasta sheets with the filling. A little time in the oven will make the cheese nice and melty and help the sauce reduce more to achieve a decadent, creamy texture.

Serve these pasta rollups with a lightly-dressed salad and a basket of garlic bread. Any leftovers will reheat nicely with the creamy sauce.

Ingredients

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 425°F. Cook sausage in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high, stirring often, until crumbled and browned, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat; cool 10 minutes.

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  • While sausage cooks, stir together pimiento cheese, ricotta, 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella, 1 cup of the chopped arugula, and 3 tablespoons of the diced pimientos in a medium bowl. Remove sausage from skillet using a slotted spoon; stir into cheese mixture.

  • Without wiping skillet, add Alfredo sauce, ¼ cup water, 2½ cups of the chopped arugula, and ⅓ cup of the diced pimientos; bring to a simmer over medium, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low.

  • Place 1 pasta sheet on a work surface; top with about 1 cup cheese mixture, and spread evenly to the short edges, leaving a ½-inch border along the long edges. Starting at 1 long edge, roll up pasta; place on work surface seam side down. Using a sharp knife, cut crosswise into fourths. Repeat with remaining pasta sheets and cheese mixture to make 24 rollups. 

  • Carefully arrange rollups (cut side up) in warm sauce in skillet, starting in the center and working toward the edges. Nestle rollups closely together to prevent unrolling. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella and 2 to 3 tablespoons diced pimientos. Bake in preheated oven until sauce is bubbly, pasta is softened, and top is golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Top with remaining ½ cup chopped arugula, and serve hot.

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