Creamy Baked Penne Pasta Recipe

Cheesy Baked Penne Pasta– tender noodles in a creamy Italian spiced sauce, all topped with melted mozzarella. Comfort food that the whole family will go crazy for.

Even my meat loving boys love this hearty pasta dish. Serve it with a tossed green salad for a complete meal.

TRIED AND TESTED OVEN BAKED PASTA

I came up with this recipe trying to copy a dish that I ordered at a local Italian restaurant. With both tomato and an easy bechamel sauce, it is so creamy and flavorful.

My family loved it, so I’ve been making it for years. I’ve even managed to improve it a bit since the original.

It is a great recipe for nights that you are in a hurry and forget to take the meat out of the freezer to defrost. Does that happen to anyone else, or am I the only knucklehead?

Serve this creamy pasta bake with a green salad and this rosemary bread and you will feel just like you are eating pasta at an Italian restaurant.

Do you cook pasta before making pasta bake?

Yes, you do pre cook the pasta before making this cheesy pasta. Cook it in boiling salted water, but make sure you don’t cook the pasta all the way. You still want it to be slightly crunchy because it will absorb sauce as it bakes. And nothing’s worse then soggy pasta!

HOW DO I MAKE BAKED PASTA NOT DRY?

To make sure your baked pasta isn’t dry, there are two things to remember. First up, you need to have a correct ratio of pasta to sauce. Too much pasta will soak up all your sauce.

Secondly, don’t overbake! Baking too long will not only leave your pasta dish dry, you will end up with pasta that is mushy or completely disintegrated. Just bake till it’s heated through and the cheese is melted.

HOW TO MAKE PASTA BAKE

1. Cook pasta in salted water till it is barely tender but still has some crunch. Don’t overcook! Set aside.
2. Melt butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour, then the milk. Whisk and boil for at least 1 minute.
3. Add spices and garlic. Stir in the tomato sauce and the parmesan cheese. Add to the noodles and stir well.
4. Pour into a greased 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
   
   5. Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until cheese browns.

Leftovers? I think this dish is best served the same day, but leftovers will last in the refrigerator for 2-3 days if covered well.

Just note that the noodles will become very soft as they soak up the sauce. You may want to add additional milk if it seems a little dry.

I’m not a fan of freezing it, because the texture changes.

VARIATIONS:

• I love it when the cheese browns on the top and gets a little crunch to it, but If you prefer a more ooey gooey cheese, you can add the cheese during the last 5 minutes of baking.
• For an extra boost of protein, you can stir in some cooked ground beef, chicken, ham, or sausage.
• Like your oven baked pasta extra saucy? Try starting with just 2 1/2 cups of dry penne instead of 3.
• Spice things up by adding some red pepper flakes and topping the pasta with pepper jack cheese instead of mozzarella.

Here are some of our other favorite pasta dishes:

• Skillet Lasagna
• Chicken Lemon Pasta
• Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
• Italian Chicken Pasta Recipe
• Chicken Pasta Salad with Grapes
• No Boil Lasagna

Cheesy Baked Penne Pasta Recipe

This easy pasta bake is the perfect vegetarian meal any night of the week. It’s a hit with adults and kids alike!