Description
This Baked Penne recipe is a comforting and hearty dish perfect for a family dinner. With layers of pasta, a rich meat sauce, and three kinds of cheese, this baked pasta is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
Penne Pasta:
1 pound penne pasta
Meat Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 small onion (diced), 3 cloves garlic (minced), 1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage, 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce, 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Cheese Mixture:
1 cup ricotta cheese, 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Garnish:
chopped fresh basil or parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Cook the pasta: Cook the penne pasta until al dente, then drain and set aside.
- Prepare the meat sauce: Saute onion, garlic, and meat until cooked. Add sauces and seasonings, simmer.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Mix cooked pasta with meat sauce and cheese.
- Layer and bake: Layer pasta mixture and cheese in a baking dish. Bake covered, then uncover to melt cheese.
- Serve: Let the dish rest before serving. Garnish with herbs if desired.
Notes
- You can substitute cottage cheese for ricotta.
- For a vegetarian version, skip the meat and add sautéed mushrooms or spinach.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 820mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 44g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
