Description
This cheesy baked penne pasta is the ultimate comfort food featuring tender pasta tubes coated in rich marinara sauce, three types of cheese, and baked until golden and bubbly. Perfect for family dinners, potlucks, or meal prep!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 24 ounces marinara sauce (about 3 cups)
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese (whole milk or part-skim)
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 pound Italian sausage or ground beef (optional)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with olive oil or cooking spray and set aside.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until just al dente (slightly undercooked, about 1-2 minutes less than package instructions). The pasta will continue cooking in the oven, so you don’t want it fully cooked yet. Drain well and return to the pot.
- Brown the meat (if using): While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add Italian sausage or ground beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Set aside.
- Prepare the ricotta mixture: In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1½ cups mozzarella, ½ cup Parmesan, beaten egg, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and half of the chopped basil. Mix until well combined and creamy.
- Combine everything: Pour the marinara sauce over the drained pasta in the pot. Add the cooked meat (if using) and stir until pasta is evenly coated. Add the ricotta mixture and gently fold everything together until well distributed.
- Transfer to baking dish: Pour the pasta mixture into your prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly.
- Add cheese topping: Sprinkle the remaining 1½ cups mozzarella and ½ cup Parmesan evenly over the top. If you like extra crispy edges, add a little extra cheese around the sides.
- Bake covered: Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Bake uncovered: Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until the cheese on top is melted, golden, and bubbly with some crispy edges forming.
- Rest and serve: Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the sauce to thicken slightly and makes serving easier. Garnish with fresh basil and parsley, and extra Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Make it vegetarian: Simply omit the meat and add sautéed mushrooms, spinach, or zucchini for extra vegetables.
- Spice it up: Use hot Italian sausage or add extra red pepper flakes for more heat.
- Cheese substitutions: You can use provolone or fontina in place of some of the mozzarella for different flavor.
- Sauce options: Feel free to use vodka sauce, arrabbiata, or even a meat sauce instead of plain marinara.
- Don’t overcook the pasta: Remember it will continue cooking in the oven, so slightly undercooked pasta prevents mushiness.
- Leftovers: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheats beautifully in the microwave or oven.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe (approximately 1½ cups)
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 890mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 85mg