Sausage Prego Pizza Bake

1.Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil.

2.In a large skillet over medium heat, add the Italian sausage, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until browned and cooked through, about 7-9 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.

3.Add the Prego Italian Sauce to the cooked sausage in the skillet. Stir to combine and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes to meld the flavors. Season with salt, pepper, dried oregano, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Remove from heat.

4.In a large mixing bowl, combine the cubed Italian bread with olive oil, tossing gently to coat evenly.

5.Spread half of the bread cubes evenly in the prepared baking dish.

6.Pour half of the sausage and Prego sauce mixture over the bread cubes, spreading it out evenly.

7.Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese and half of the grated Parmesan over the sauce layer.

8.Repeat the layering: add the remaining bread cubes, then the remaining sausage and sauce mixture, and top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

9.Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.

10.Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown and the bread cubes are slightly crisp on top.

11.Remove from the oven and let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving.

12.Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired and serve warm.