Baked Penne Pasta
Ingredients
- 14 ounces penne pasta
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- 4 ounces grated mozzarella cheese
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (210°C).
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne at a boil until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes; drain.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion in hot oil until softened, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Stir tomatoes, garlic, parsley, and basil with the onion; bring to a simmer and cook until tomatoes soften, about 8 minutes.
- Combine the drained pasta and the tomato mixture in a large bowl and stir; transfer to a baking dish. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the pasta mixture.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese has melted and is beginning to brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
This recipe doubles nicely so you can have two dinners for the work of one. Freeze the second batch for later. Just thaw at room temperature for an hour before baking at 400°F (210°C) until heated through, about 30 minutes. Mix some shredded Parmesan cheese in with the mozzarella cheese for a different cheesy flavor. If you want to add more protein to the dish, stir cooked sausage in with the tomato mixture before combining with the pasta.
Reviews
What others are saying
Bernardette Flatow says:
A great family dish- add chopped spinach leaves before you bake to give it some healthy greenery.
Steve Failows says:
a simple penne bake that turned out great - I opted for mozzarella instead of cheddar, like the recipe called for, since I already had it in the fridge and it was delicious.