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Piping hot, gooey, cheesy pasta is the perfect comfort food. Similar to lasagna, but this recipe is easy to throw together. It’s a hearty casserole that freezes well and makes enough to feed an army. Well, it fed my hungry family of four two nights in a row.
I chose to make Amanda’s No. 1 recipe for 2010, Baked Ziti. I substituted penne because it’s what I had on hand. You could use your favorite jarred pasta sauce, but I rarely buy pasta sauce because it’s so cheap and easy to make. My quick pasta sauce recipe is listed below the penne recipe. Visit Amanda for her pasta sauce recipe she used in this popular recipe.
This delicious baked pasta would be easy to change up. If you want to make a veggie version, just substitute veggies for the ground beef. I’m sure it would be fabulous with an Alfredo sauce and some spinach too.
I couldn’t resist taking pictures of the penne baking in the oven. Do you love to watch the cheese melt and brown up in the oven as much as I do?
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Baked Penne
Ingredients
- 1 lb box of penne pasta
- 4 cups prepared spaghetti sauce, jarred or my recipe is below
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 lb ground beef
- 15 oz container ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese, I used cheddar/jack
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
Quick Pasta Sauce
- 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes in rich puree
- 1 ½ t. garlic powder
- 1 t. dried basil
- ¼ t. red pepper flakes
- ¼ t. salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain.
- In a large frying pan, saute onion in olive oil until transparent. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink, drain. Stir in the ricotta, parsley, egg, salt, pepper and 2 cups of the spaghetti sauce. Add cooked pasta and toss to coat.
- Put pasta mixture into a greased 13×9 baking pan and cover with the remaining spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.
Quick Pasta Sauce
- Combined all ingredients in a sauce pan on medium heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Amy @ uTryIt
100% comfort food for me. 🙂 Cheesy and gooey…yum. I can eat this every day!
Mercedes
This looks delicious, warm and comforting! I cannot wait to join the Secret Recipe Club! I am just a few recipes away from being “eligible” to join you!
angela@spinachtiger
This kind of meal just says home to me. A little salad and I’m set.
Delishhh
Look wonderful – since i am pregnant i have been craving pasta – and eating lots of it – this is just what i need 🙂
Lynda
looks delicious Barbara! Nothing says comfort like a pan of cheesy pasta. Meals like this are a favorite in the winter for us.
Lyndsey@TheTinySkillet
This looks so good, I love these meals. I think I’ll make it tonight! Nice choice.
Kathleen
Looks delicious. Love your photo!
Angie's Recipes
I need to make this for myself SOON! It looks so good.
Kitchen Belleicious
you had me at gooey cheesy pasta! I love penne much less one that is full of such flavor and shear goodness! YUM~
Deborah
I love simple, wonderful dinner ideas like this one!
Valérie ( France )
Voilà deux plat bien appétissants
Je te souhaite une belle soirée
Valérie
Alison @ Ingredients, Inc
This is my kid’s favorite type of meal! A must try
Sweet as Sugar Cookies
Oh what cheesy goodness. That’s comfort food for sure.
Katrina
Mmm, comfort for sure! I’m making 3 lasagnas for my husbands work party (he volunteered our house1) this Saturday, it’s sure tempting to make it even easier with pasta like this! Hmmm.
Rosa
Scrummy! that is the kind of comforting dish I never get tired of eating.
Cheers,
Rosa
nichole
Yum! When I was a kid I didn’t like pasta (weird, I know) until I realized just how delicious it is when covered in cheese. This looks great.
Bizzy Chaya
It is nice to see one great cook, make another great cook’s recipe. It looks good and I think, I should make it soon.
Lesa @Edesia's Notebook
Yum! You can’t go wrong with pasta, cheese, tomato sauce, and more cheese! Great choice.
Bonnie
I love penne or any pasta that looks like this. It’s my favorite comfort food. Yummmm……………..
Happy Cook / Finla
Wowo that looks super cheesey yumm. My daughter would love this if i make this for her.