Description
A delicious baked penne pasta with Italian sausage, cheese, and marinara sauce that’s perfect for a family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound uncooked penne pasta
- 16 ounces Italian sausage (see note)
- 1/2 medium onion (chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce (see note)
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375F and move the rack to the top third of the oven.
- Boil a salted pot of water for the pasta. Cook it for 2 minutes less than the package directions indicate. Once it’s done, drain it and add it to a 9×13 baking dish.
- Meanwhile, add the sausage and onion to a skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sausage has browned (about 8-10 minutes). If there’s a lot of excess fat, spoon most of it out.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for about a minute.
- Add in the marinara sauce and red pepper flakes and cook for a couple more minutes until it’s warmed through.
- Pour the sausage mixture into the baking dish. Add in some salt & pepper as well. Toss until everything is coated. Smooth it out into an even layer.
- Top with the cheeses and bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Broil for a few minutes to brown the cheese (watch it carefully). Serve immediately.
Notes
- The Italian sausage can be sweet or spicy depending on your preference.
- You can substitute the marinara sauce with your favorite pasta sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 100mg