Baked Penne Pasta
This Baked Penne Pasta features a creamy marinara sauce that perfectly coats each bite of tender pasta. Topped with melted cheese and baked until golden, it's a comforting, crowd-pleasing dish that combines the richness of cream with the classic flavors of marinara. Perfect for family dinners or a hearty weeknight meal!
Ingredients
- 12 ounces penne ziti or mostaccioli
- 1 pound Italian sausage other ground meat
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 14 ounces canned diced tomatoes don't drain the juices
- 28 ounces marinara sauce
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2-2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375º and prepare a 9x12 baking dish.
- Cook the pasta just until al dente. It will finish cooking in the oven.
- In a large pan, brown the Italian sausage with onions and garlic. Drain fat and return to the burner.
- Add marinara sauce, diced tomatoes (with the juices), seasoning, and sugar. Simmer for a few minutes, uncovered. Add the heavy cream and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until it has thickened.
- Add about 1 cup of sauce to the bottom of the greased baking dish to cover the bottom. Layer with half the pasta and half of the sauce mixture. Repeat with the other half of the pasta and sauce. Top with cheese.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, uncovered. The cheese should be lightly browned.