Preheat your oven to 400°F and lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. While the oven heats, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta shells until just al dente (usually 1-2 minutes under the package time), since they'll continue cooking in the oven. Drain the pasta and set aside—I always use Barilla because it holds its texture perfectly through baking.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the Italian sausage (removed from casings) and cook, breaking it into small pieces as it browns, about 5-7 minutes. Once browned and no longer pink, drain off any excess fat and set the sausage aside. This step removes unwanted grease while keeping all the flavorful rendered fat in the sauce.
In the same skillet (no need to wash it—those browned bits add flavor), combine the spaghetti sauce, heavy cream, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes over medium heat. Stir well to combine and let it warm through for about 2-3 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld. I prefer Rao's Marinara because it has a cleaner, more authentic taste that really shines when combined with the cream.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta from Step 1, browned sausage from Step 2, the warm pink sauce from Step 3, ricotta cheese, and 1 cup of the Italian cheese blend. Fold gently but thoroughly until all components are evenly distributed, then add the mozzarella pearls and fold once more to incorporate. This creates a cohesive, creamy base that will bake into a unified dish.
Pour the entire pasta mixture from Step 4 into the prepared 9x13 inch baking dish, spreading it into an even layer. Top with the remaining 1 cup of Italian cheese blend, distributing it evenly across the surface. This creates that beautiful golden, bubbly crust you're after.
Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes, until the cheese topping is melted and golden brown and you can see the sauce bubbling around the edges. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving—this helps the dish set slightly so it holds together beautifully when plated. Finish with fresh chopped basil just before serving for a bright, herbaceous accent.
