Baked Penne Pasta With Mozzarella

5 from 11 votes
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Baked Penne Pasta requires only one dish, no boiling your pasta. Everything is baked together for the most divine, flavorful pasta casserole you’ve ever had. The bubbly cheese makes it creamy and perfectly cheesy. Pair with garlic bread and enjoy.

Baked Penne Pasta up close in a baking dish.
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Why Make This Recipe

For starters, this Baked Penne Pasta With Mozzarella is so easy to make. You basically dump everything in a baking dish, set it and forget it for 45 minutes to an hour. This is a great dish for the family or for entertaining. If you are looking for something a little quicker try my Veggie Ragu next!

It’s so savory and perfectly cheesy it will be your new favorite weeknight dish. No boiling water for pasta and you can use any noodle and veggie of choice to bake into this casserole. Pair it with my Garlic Rolls for the ultimate dinner. Looking for something with more spice? My Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta will cure all the spicy cravings.

Ingredients Needed

Baked Penne Pasta With Mozzarella ingredients on a counter in bowls.

Pasta. Any noodle of choice will work, but this is called Penne Baked Pasta so I use Penne.

Pasta Sauce. Any red sauce of choice will work great. 1 jar (24 oz)

Mozzarella. High quality fresh mozzarella works best and melts great.

Seasoning. Garlic powder, oregano, onion powder, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes.

All other ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card below. 

Steps To Make Baked Penne Pasta

Baked Penne Pasta With Mozzarella in steps.

Step One. Preheat oven to 375º. In an 8 x 11 or 9×9 baking dish, add dry pasta, red sauce, water (I fill the empty sauce jar with the water and shake it to get more sauce out). Add in seasoning, mushrooms, spinach. Carefully, gently mix together in the dish. Cover the dish tightly with tin foil.

Step Two. Bake covered for 40 minutes. Pull it out after baking for 30 minutes, add the fresh mozzarella over the top of the pasta casserole and bake for another 30 minutes, then take tin foil off and cook for another 10 minutes or until cheese is browned, bubbling and the pasta is al dente.

Step Three. Let the pasta sit for about 5 minutes before serving. I like to enjoy mine with garlic bread.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can freeze these for up to 2 months.   

Recipe FAQ’s

Can I use a different pasta?

Yes, you can use a different pasta shape if you’d like.

How long will this last?

Keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight container.

Can I use another cheese?

Yes, use any cheese you prefer, but I enjoy the fresh mozzarella best as it melts into the noodles throughout the dish giving it a cheesy texture.

Other Pasta Recipes To Make

If you loved this recipe let me know! Also, follow me on Instagram & Pinterest for even more fun recipes to make you feel good from the inside out. Thanks for being here.

Baked Penne Pasta With Mozzarella
5 from 11 votes

Baked Penne Pasta With Mozzarella

Baked Penne Pasta requires only one dish, no boiling your pasta. Everything is baked together for the most divine, flavorful pasta casserole you've ever had. The bubbly cheese makes it creamy and perfectly cheesy. pair with garlic bread and enjoy.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Servings: 5

Ingredients 

  • 1 24 oz jar of pasta sauce, any kind will work.
  • 1 lb dry penne pasta, *see notes
  • 2 cups water
  • ½ tbsp dried, crushed, oregano
  • ½ tbsp garlic powder
  • ½ tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms, optional
  • 2 cups spinach, *see notes
  • cup fresh mozzarella , *see notes

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 375º. In an 8 x 11 or 9×9 baking dish, add dry pasta, red sauce, water (I fill the empty sauce jar with the water and shake it to get more sauce out). Add in seasoning, mushrooms, spinach. Carefully, gently mix together in the dish. Cover the dish tightly with tin foil.
  • Bake covered for 30 minutes. After baking for 30 minutes, pull it out, add the fresh mozzarella over the top of the pasta casserole, cover again and bake for another 30 minutes.
    Take tin foil off and cook for another 10 minutes or until cheese is browned, bubbling and the pasta is al dente. Total time baking is about an hour and ten minutes (give or take some time depending on oven temps and pasta size).
  • Let the pasta sit for about 5 minutes before serving. I like to enjoy mine with garlic bread. Enjoy! 

Notes

*you can use a different shape of pasta. Cooking times will vary slightly.
*fresh spinach will be best, frozen will be too wet.
*high quality mozzarella works best but any cheese will do.

Nutrition

Serving: 2cups | Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 235mg | Potassium: 218mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1472IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 196mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Author: Bailey
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 5
Calories: 257
Keyword: dinner, easy dinner
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20 Comments

  1. I think you need a deep baking vessel as you have a lb of pasta. 24. Oz sauce, 2 cups water and 2 cups of spinach and mushrooms. My 9×11 dish could not hold it all. Needed to switch to Dutch oven after initial 30 minutes as cheese did not fit. Otherwise great taste