Baked penne with beef, tangy tomato sauce, gooey cheese, and easy steps for perfect comfort food.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz penne pasta
→ Meats
02 - 1.1 lb ground beef
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Sauce
05 - 24 oz tomato passata or marinara sauce
06 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
07 - 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
08 - ½ tsp red pepper flakes, optional
09 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Dairy
10 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
11 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Oils
12 - 2 tbsp olive oil
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
02 - Boil penne pasta in a large pot of salted water for 2 minutes less than the time on the package. Drain well and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until tender. Stir in garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
04 - Add ground beef to the skillet, breaking up with a spoon. Cook until browned and cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
05 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add tomato passata, dried Italian herbs, red pepper flakes if using, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.
06 - Add cooked pasta to the skillet and gently mix until evenly coated with the meat sauce.
07 - Transfer half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella and half of the Parmesan cheese. Layer remaining pasta mixture and finish with the rest of the cheeses.
08 - Bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until cheese is golden and bubbling.
09 - Allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
