Description
Baked Penne is a delicious and easy-to-make pasta casserole featuring Italian sausage, a rich tomato sauce, and melty cheese. This comforting dish is perfect for a quick dinner that satisfies the whole family.
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 the pasta shells according to package directions until al dente. Drain and let cool.
- In a medium pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and shallots; cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the Italian sausage and cook until browned, breaking it into small pieces. Drain excess fat if necessary.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for 10-15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix the cooled pasta, cooled sauce, cottage cheese, and mozzarella cubes. Toss everything together. Transfer the mixture to a 9×13-inch baking dish and top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until cheese is melted. Broil for 30-45 seconds to achieve a golden top. Allow to stand for 5-8 minutes before serving, and garnish with chopped parsley.
Notes
Feel free to use different pasta shapes such as penne or rigatoni.
Adjust the seasoning according to your taste, especially the salt and pepper.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 50mg