Description
Italian Nachos Chicago-Style is a cheesy, crowd-pleasing easy dinner loaded with crispy pasta chips, savory Italian sausage, pepperoni, olives, marinara, and melted mozzarella. It is one of my favorite dinner ideas for game day, family nights, and casual entertaining because it feels fun, hearty, and packed with bold Italian flavors while still being an easy recipe everyone gets excited about.
Ingredients
12 ounces bowtie pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound Italian sausage
20 slices pepperoni
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup sliced black olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the bowtie pasta until just al dente. Drain well and spread the pasta out for a few minutes so excess moisture can dry off.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss the cooked pasta with olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
3. Spread the seasoned pasta on a large baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the edges are crisp and lightly golden.
4. While the pasta bakes, cook the Italian sausage in a skillet over medium heat until browned and fully cooked. Break it into small crumbles and drain any excess grease.
5. Transfer the crisp pasta to an oven-safe platter or leave it on the baking sheet. Top with half of the sausage, half of the pepperoni, half of the olives, half of the marinara, and half of the mozzarella.
6. Repeat the layers with the remaining sausage, pepperoni, olives, marinara, and mozzarella.
7. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
8. Remove from the oven and finish with Parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and crushed red pepper flakes.
9. Serve immediately while the cheese is hot and the pasta still has some crunch.
Notes
Do not overcook the pasta before baking, or it can turn too soft and lose that crisp nacho-style texture once the toppings are added.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Appetizer / Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 1180mg
- Fat: 33g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 51g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 29g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
Keywords: Italian nachos, Chicago-style nachos, easy dinner, dinner ideas, easy recipe, party food, game day food, pasta nachos, cheesy dinner, comfort food