Quick and Easy Baked Penne Pasta
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This quick and easy baked penne pasta recipe is perfect for a weeknight. It’s just cooked penne added to a sauce made of a jar of marinara, petite diced tomatoes, shredded cheese of your choice, and some sour cream and spices. Mix and top with some more shredded cheese and bake for around 25 minutes until golden and bubbly. This is the simplest meal to eat alone or as a pasta side dish.
I love this baked penne recipe. It’s really simple to throw together and it doesn’t have a lot of complicated ingredients. The sauce turns out so perfect and it’s so simple. You’ll just dump it all in a bowl, mix and fold in pasta. Really quick and simple. I’ve made it for a side dish, and I’ve also eaten it as a main with a side salad. Either way, it’s very simple and delicious!
Equipment You’ll Need
First, you’ll need a large pot to boil your pasta in. Then, you’ll need a large mixing bowl to make your sauce in and a casserole dish to bake it all in. I like using a an ovel casserole for this baked penne pasta. However, you can use whatever size you’d like. A 9×9 or a 9×13 will also work.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Penne Pasta:
You’ll need a 16-ounce box of dry penne pasta.
Jar of Marinara Sauce:
A jar or marinara sauce. I just used a generic brand.
Can of Italian-Style Petite Diced Tomatoes:
A can of Italian-style petite diced tomatoes. Don’t drain off any of the juice.
Sour Cream:
You’ll need about a cup and a half of sour cream.
Shredded Cheese:
So, you technically can use a shredded cheese of your choice. I used a cheddar blend in my pasta sauce and then topped the casserole with a mix of mozzarella and parmesan.
Seasonings:
I used a mix of sugar, salt, pepper, Italian seasonings and garlic powder.
How to Make Baked Penne Pasta
Step One:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a large pot, boil pasta until it’s tender. Drain and set aside.
Step two:
In a large bowl, combine marinara sauce, petite diced tomatoes, sour cream, a cup of shredded cheese and seasonings. Mix well then fold in pasta.
Step three:
Add the pasta mix to a greased casserole dish then top with additional shredded cheeses. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes until cheese is golden brown and casserole is bubbly. Serve and enjoy!
Quick and Easy Baked Penne Pasta
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Casserole Dish
- Large Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 16 oz Penne Pasta
- 23 oz Jar of Marinara Sauce
- 14.5 oz Can of Italian-Style Petite Diced Tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cup Sour Cream
- 1 cup Shredded Cheese
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Pepper
- 1 tsp Italian Seasonings
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
Cheese Topping
- 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- 1 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a large pot, boil pasta until it's tender. Drain and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine marinara sauce, petite diced tomatoes, sour cream, a cup of shredded cheese and seasonings. Mix well then fold in pasta.
- Add the pasta mix to a greased casserole dish then top with additional shredded cheeses. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes until cheese is golden brown and casserole is bubbly. Serve and enjoy!
Before you go…
Please let me know if you tried this quick and easy baked penne pasta recipe. If so, what’d you think? Let me know here or in the comments below. Happy cooking!
