Description
Baked Penne | Cheesy Oven-Baked Pasta Casserole is a delightful dish featuring pasta, savory Italian sausage, and gooey mozzarella. This comforting meal is easy to prepare, making it ideal for a quick yet satisfying dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz medium pasta shells
- 2 teaspoon olive oil, or cooking oil of choice
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup shallots, (or onions) minced
- 12 oz italian sausage, removed from casing
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 ½ tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, (or more to taste)
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
- pinch red pepper flakes, optional
- ¾ cup low fat (2%) cottage cheese, small curds
- 6 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- chopped italian parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook pasta shells according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and allow to cool.
- In a medium pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and shallots, cooking for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add sausage and cook until browned, breaking it into small pieces. Drain excess fat.
- Pour in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes. Adjust seasoning if desired, then let cool for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta, sauce, cottage cheese, and mozzarella cubes, mixing well. Transfer the mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish and top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese melts. Broil for 30-45 seconds to brown the top. Allow to stand for 5-8 minutes before serving, garnished with parsley.
Notes
Feel free to substitute pasta shapes if needed.
For extra flavor, add herbs like basil or oregano to the sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 60mg