Hearty Baked Penne Pasta

Name: Baked Penne Pasta
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large onion, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 pounds ground beef (or one pound ground beef & one pound Italian sausage) Here is where you can find meat you can trust.; 1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes, with juice; 2 (14.5 ounce) cans tomato sauce; 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning; 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes; Salt and Pepper, to taste; 1 pound (16 ounces) whole wheat penne pasta; 1 tub (15 ounces) whole milk ricotta cheese; 1 1/2 pounds (6 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese (divided); 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1 egg

★★★★★ 5 /5

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By: Polly ConnerPosted: 8/8/22Updated: 12/5/22

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Baked Penne Pasta is a delicious and hearty Italian-American pasta dish that features penne pasta mixed with a rich and savory tomato-based sauce, layered with a cheese mixture, and then baked until it’s hot and bubbly.

“I made a 9×9 for supper and froze a 9×13 for later. It was a hit with my husband. We also had to negotiate who got to eat the leftovers!” – Mags

Table of Contents

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

Baked pastas like our Spinach Lasagna Rolls, Healthy Mac & Cheese, and Easy Cheesy Baked Pasta are commonly reader favorites. Probably because they usually have these qualities:

Delicious dinner recipe that all ages enjoy
Freezer friendly
Feeds a large group of people
Easy to make

Ingredients

Here are the main ingredients you’ll need. Keep in mind this is a HUGE recipe! Perfect when you need a big batch recipe.

Ingredient Notes

Ground beef – Here is where you can find meat you can trust.
Canned tomato sauce – Adds moisture and depth of flavor to the recipe. You can swap it for marinara if you don’t have any.
Whole Tomatoes – These add some texture and flavor.

Variations & Substitutions

Substitute one pound ground beef with one pound Italian sausage.
Use diced tomatoes in place of the whole tomatoes.
Use marinara in place of tomato sauce.
Add veggies! I love to toss in raw spinach, sautéed mushrooms, cooked zucchini, or sautéed bell peppers.
You don’t have to use penne pasta. You can substitute with another similar short pasta shape.

Note: Find our full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and directions at the bottom of this post.

How to Make Baked Penne Pasta

Make the Meat Sauce

After sautéing some diced onion and garlic, you will brown your ground beef.

After the ground beef is browned, drain off some fat and add in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning.

Let it simmer on low for about 25-30 minutes.

Once it’s done simmering, remove 3 to 4 cups of the sauce to a different bowl to cool down. You’ll see why in a bit.

Cook the Pasta

After you get that sauce a-simmerin’, start multitasking.

Start to boil your pasta. Follow the instructions on your box for cooking it al dente.

Once it’s cooked, drain.

Make the Creamy Filling

While pasta is boiling you can whip together your creamy cheese filling.

In a large mixing bowl, combine ingredients for the filling: ricotta, egg, mozzarella, parmesan, salt, and pepper. Give it a good stir.

Mix the Pasta with the Creamy Filling

Add the cooked and drained pasta into the large bowl with the cheese mixture.

After the pasta and cheese mixture is combined, add in that cooled pasta sauce.

Once you’ve mixed that together, you have a delicious, gooey mess.

Assemble the Casserole & Bake

Pour the pasta into a baking dish. Now top it off with remaining pasta sauce.

Meat sauce layered over cooked pasta in a 9x13 dish.

Now finish it off with a layer of mozzarella. You know what comes next… bake it!

Shredded mozzarella spread across baked pasta.

Baked penne pasta in a glass baking dish.

Pro Tip

This recipe makes a HUGE batch. If you have a lasagna dish, use that. If not, you might consider splitting the batch between two 9×13 dishes.

Freeze one for later! (See more Ground Beef Freezer Meals here).

How to Freeze Baked Penne Pasta

You’ve come to the right place if you’re looking for make-ahead freezer meals.

Not only have we written two freezer meal cookbooks, but we also have some amazing 1 Hour Freezer Prep Plans that walk you through how to make 6 meals in one hour.

Freeze For Later: Follow the recipe right up until baking it. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, foil or a lid. Freeze.

Prepare From Frozen: When ready to cook, you have two options:

Thawed: Thaw in the fridge (may take up to 48 hours) or thaw in the microwave on defrost setting. Bake at 375 degrees F according to Step 11 in the recipe.
Frozen: If cooking directly from frozen state, cover with foil. Place the frozen casserole in the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Once it comes to temperature, bake for about 1 hour and 20-40 minutes, until heated through and bubbly. Remove the foil the last 20 minutes.

What to Serve with Baked Penne Pasta

This recipe plays nice with others. Here are some side dish ideas:

Four ears of corn on the cob on a plate with a pat of butter on top.

Microwave Corn on the Cob

Bacon Wrapped Green Beans

Homemade cheese sauce being spooned over steamed broccoli.

Cheese Sauce for Broccoli

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

FAQs

Can I prep Baked Penne Pasta in advance?

Yes, this recipe works well to prepare all the way up until baking. You can refrigerate it for a day or two before baking or freeze it.

Can I use diced tomatoes instead of whole?

Yes! You can make this substitution without any problems. Just be sure to keep the amounts the same.

We have an egg allergy in our family, do you think that could be omitted? Or do you have a suggested substitute?

The egg will add some lightness and lift to the cheese mixture, but you should be totally fine without it.

Can I leave out the meat?

Yes, this recipe will work fine without the ground beef.

What type of tomato sauce am I supposed to use?

Tomato sauce is sold in cans and is thinner and has fewer ingredients than marinara/spaghetti sauce. However, marinara would be a great substitute.

Polly Conner

As co-founder of Thriving Home, Polly’s passionate about helping busy parents get dinner on the table. With a house full of kids, dogs, and (usually) a DIY project in the works, she knows firsthand how every minute (and every dollar) counts. As a business owner, she enjoys wearing multiple hats and serves best as a project manager for Thriving Home.