Description
One of my favorite midweek pasta bakes – my whole family loves it and there is not much prep. Once the pasta bake is in the oven, you can make a salad or set the table and then it’s time to eat.
Ingredients
- 1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 (6 ounce) cans tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pinch white sugar
- 1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 ¼ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 small bunch fresh basil, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook
- stirring occasionally
- until tender yet firm to the bite
- about 11 minutes. Drain
- reserving 1 cup cooking water.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook onion in oil until soft and translucent
- about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Stir in tomato sauce and tomato paste and cook until slightly reduced
- about 5 minutes. Add cream and Parmesan cheese. Season with sugar
- salt
- and pepper.
- Stir some of the reserved pasta water into sauce and add cooked penne. Remove from the heat and stir in cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese
- and basil. Add more pasta water if needed to reach desired consistency. Pour penne mixture into the prepared baking dish and cover with remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly and cheese is melted
- about 20 minutes.
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 31 mins
Total Time: 51 mins
Servings: 6