Baked Penne Pasta with Meat Sauce

Name: Baked Penne Pasta
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 3 links Italian sausage; ½ lb. lean ground beef; ½ large onion ((chopped)); ½ large bell pepper; 3 cloves garlic; ½ cup sliced mushrooms ((or dried gourmet mushrooms)); 1 tsp. salt ((divided)); ½ tsp. black pepper; ½ tsp. crushed red pepper; ½ tsp. dried basil; ½ tsp. dried oregano; ½ tsp. Italian seasoning; 2 T. tomato paste; ¾ cup water; ¼ cup red wine; 24 oz. canned pasta sauce; 16 oz. penne pasta; 4 oz. cream cheese ((cubed)); 3 cups shredded cheese ((your favorite blend))

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This hearty Baked Penne Pasta is perfect for a hungry crowd or to take to a potluck. Packed with ground beef, Italian sausage, veggies, bits of velvety cream cheese, and shredded cheese, it's the ultimate comfort food! If you want an ever more frugal recipe, check out my Bucatini Cacio e Pepe recipe!

baked penne pasta with cheese, crushed pepper and other fixings on the side

Why This Recipe Works

I don't know about you, but every now and then I crave a good pasta dish. This Baked Penne Pasta recipe hits the stop. It's easy to throw together at the last minute and trust me, your family will thank you!

The ingredients are similar to lasagna (pasta, sauce, meat, and cheese) but it's way easier to prepare.

In the past, I've made similar baked penne pasta casseroles. However, I usually toss everything together without measuring a single ingredient.

Recently, however, I prepared some Baked Penne Pasta to take to a memorial service at our church in Montana.

I decided to slow down and document the recipe, writing down each step and taking pictures along the way. You never know when someone will ask for the recipe, am I right?

baked penne pasta in a pan with fixings on the side

I ended up making two pans; one to drop off at church and one for us to enjoy.

The Baked Penne Pasta was a big hit at our house, and I hope it's a hit for you too!

What Goes Into This Recipe

Ingredient Notes

Italian Sausage — Besides, ground beef, I like to add Italian sausage to my pasta sauce. I think it really adds to the flavor. You can either use mild or hot sausage, but you know which one I'll be using... the hot!
Red Wine — Red wine is always included in my pasta sauces. I like using deep, red wines, like burgundy or chianti but any red blend is fine.
Cream Cheese — Some pasta recipes call for sour cream, but I prefer cream cheese. It adds an irresistible creaminess to this dish. Feel free to add more if you like.
Mushrooms — Use your favorite mushrooms. I used gourmet dried mushrooms. If you do the same, just soak them according to the directions on the container. Be sure to reserve the liquid, you'll need it later in the recipe!
Pasta Sauce — Instead of jarred spaghetti sauce, I like using pasta sauce and adding my own touches including tomato paste, wine, and plenty of garlic and herbs.

How to Make This Recipe

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. This will be used for cooking the pasta.

Pasta Sauce

Remove sausage casing and add the sausage to a large stockpot along with the ground beef, onion, green pepper, garlic, and mushrooms.

Add salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper, basil, oregano, and Italian seasoning. Cook until the meat is no longer pink.

Add tomato paste, ¾ cups water (or ¾ cup liquid from soaked mushrooms), red wine, and pasta sauce.

Mix the ingredients in the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Pasta

Meanwhile, add the pasta along with ½ teaspoon salt to boiling water. Stir to discourage the pasta from sticking together.

Cook for 12 minutes, then drain.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Assembly

To assemble the Baked Penne Pasta, spray the bottom of a deep lasagna pan or baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Add a cup of pasta sauce, followed by some of the cooked pasta.

an empty pan with cubed cream cheese on the side

lasagna pan with meaty pasta sauce in it

Distribute some cubed cream cheese and shredded cheese over the pasta along with more pasta sauce.

Repeat with the remaining ingredients, making sure the pasta is completely covered with the sauce.

End with one cup of shredded mozzarella or other shredded cheese.

pasta with cheese and cubed cream cheese in a pan

Cover the baking dish with foil that's been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

Bake the Penne Pasta for 30 minutes

Serve the Baked Penne Pasta with some garlic bread, and a Green Salad.

Recipe FAQ's and Expert Tips

How long do I cook penne pasta?

Cook Penne Pasta for 10 to 12 minutes, or until “al dente.” The Italian term "al dente" simply means "firm to the bite." This means you cook the pasta until it reaches the ideal consistency.

Another reason you don't want to overcook the pasta (especially for this Baked Penne Pasta recipe) is that it will cook for an additional 30 minutes in the oven.

What kind of wine should I use in pasta sauce?

Although you can use your favorite wine in the sauce, stay away from overly sweet wines like Rieslings and Moscatos. Instead, use wines with a dark and bold flavor, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Chianti.

I always have a large container of dried gourmet mushrooms on hand. The best part about using these mushrooms is that you can use the mushroom broth (the liquid that the mushrooms are soaked in) to enhance the flavor of the sauce.
Be sure to Spray the foil prior to covering the pasta with it. This will keep the cheese from sticking to the foil.
When reheating the Baked Penne Pasta, add a small amount of liquid/broth. This helps to rehydrate the pasta and keeps it from being dry.

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Baked Penne Pasta with Meat Sauce

Why This Recipe Works

What Goes Into This Recipe

Ingredient Notes