This easy, breezy baked penne pasta is a delicious and filling dish that is economical, perfect for a family, and definitely a crowd-pleaser.
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time10 minutesmins
Baking time15 minutesmins
Total Time30 minutesmins
Course: pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Baked penne
Servings: 4
Calories: 391kcal
Author: Katia
Ingredients
1 tablespoonolive oil
2garlic cloves, minced
1 can(14oz/400 grams)whole plum tomatoes (diced, crushed are fine too)
½teaspoondried oregano
½teaspoondried basil
¾teaspoonfine salt
⅛teaspoonground black pepper
1 cup(240 ml)hot water
8oz(225 grams)penne pasta
½cupgrated parmesan cheese
1cupdiced fresh mozzarella or shredded mozzarella
1tablespoonbreadcrumbs (optional)
chopped basil, to garnish (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
In a large pot with a heavy base or in a Dutch oven, warm the olive oil over a medium heat, add the garlic and cook until fragrant and smells good (about 1 minute).
Add the canned tomatoes, herbs, salt, pepper and toss to combine.
Stir in the hot water, penne pasta, bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover with a lid and cook for about 7-8 minutes or until the pasta is still a bit undercooked (not just al dente).
Turn the heat off, toss in all the parmesan cheese and ⅔ of the mozzarella cheese. Taste and make sure you're happy with the seasoning, you might want to add an extra pinch of salt or some freshly cracked pepper.
Now if you've used a Dutch oven/cast-iron pot, you can bake the penne pasta in the same pot, otherwise truster everything into a baking dish.
Scatter over the remaining mozzarella, breadcrumbs (optional) and bake in middle position for about 15 minutes until the top is lightly browned and the cheese melted.
Sprinkle with parsley or basil if desired, then serve!
Notes
Storage and make ahead: you can cook and assemble this ahead, and either refrigerate or freeze it before the final baking. It's also freezable: if you freeze it, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before baking.Baked penne leftovers: they keep well in the fridge for about 3 days if stored in airtight container, and they can be reheated in a microwave or in a frying pan. You can also freeze baked penne pasta, and reheat it once thawed.Nutrition facts: the nutrition values are for one serving and they are based on an online nutrition calculator. It’s an estimate only and it should not be considered as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. Please see my disclosure policies.