Easy Baked Penne Pasta

This dish is cheesy and gooey and  definitely a crowd pleaser.  It is similar to lasagna but in a little different format. This dish has also been referred to as Baked Ziti but I can never find Ziti pasta so I just use penne pasta. You can make ahead and freeze for another time or bake immediately.  I have also made smaller portions and froze them for future meals. Enjoy!







Easy Baked Penne Pasta

12 servings




Ingredients:


2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

3 cloves Garlic, Minced

1 whole Large Onion, Diced

1 pound Italian Sausage

1 pound Ground Beef

1 can (28 Oz. Size) Whole Tomatoes, With Juice

2 cans (14.5 Ounce) Tomato Sauce Or Marinara Sauce

2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning

1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

Salt And Pepper, to taste

16 ounces, Penne or Ziti, Cooked Until Not Quite Al Dente

1 tub (15 Oz. Size) Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese

1-1/2 pound Mozzarella Cheese, Grated

1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 whole Egg

Fresh Minced Parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for several minutes, or until starting to soften. Add Italian sausage and ground beef and cook until browned. Drain off fat, leaving a bit behind for flavor and moisture.

Add the whole can of tomatoes, marinara sauce, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat.

Cook the pasta. Drain the pasta and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking and cool it down. Place the pasta into a large bowl.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Add 3 cups of the meat sauce to the pasta. Toss the pasta and set aside to cool.

In a separate bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, 2 cups of the grated mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, and salt and pepper. Stir together just a couple of times (do not mix completely).

Add the cheese mixture to the pasta/meat sauce mixture. Do not over mix as you want some big chunks of cheese.

Add half the coated pasta to a large casserole dish or lasagna dish. Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the top, then top with half the remaining mozzarella cheese. Repeat with another layer of the coated pasta, the sauce, and the mozzarella.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbling. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

(Sprinkle chopped parsley over the pasta before serving!)

Print Recipe: Easy Baked Penne Pasta

Heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute the onions until soft, add garlic.
Add sausage and ground beef. Cook until browned. Drain off excess fat, but save a little for flavour.

Add tomatoes, marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes,1/2 teaspoon, salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Simmer sauce for about 30 minutes.

Cook the pasta to al dente.

Drain the cooked pasta and add 3 cups of the sauce to a large bowl. Stir. Allow to cool down a bit before adding the cheese. 

In a small bowl mix ricotta, 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, the Parmesan, egg, parsley and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and pepper. Add the cheese mixture to the pasta. Stir to combine.

Add half of the pasta mixture to a greased casserole dish. 

Add half of the remaining meat sauce over the pasta mixture.

Top with half the remaining cheese. Here I also used cheddar because I didn't have enough mozzarella. 

Repeat with another round of pasta, meat sauce, and cheese.
At this point you can allow the casserole to cool, then cover and put in the freezer or put directly into the oven . See instructions below. 

Here I made a bunch of smaller meals for the freezer. 

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.