Baked Penne with Beef

This recipe for baked cheesy pasta is comfort food at its best!
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Time 1 hour
Servings 4
Difficulty Easy

UNITS

SCALE

INGREDIENTS

PASTA

  • for pasta water Salt
  • ½ lb Penne pasta

BEEF

  • for brushing Butter
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil, extra virgin
  • 1 ½ lb Ground beef, lean
  • ½ cup Yellow onion, chopped
  • ½ cup Red bell pepper, chopped

SAUCE

  • 1 14 oz can Diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 cup Tomato sauce
  • ½ tsp Oregano, dried
  • 1 clove Garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • ½ tsp Black pepper, freshly ground
  • 2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded

METHOD

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until a few minutes before al dente. Drain pasta and set aside.
  • Heat oven to 175°C / 350°F. Lightly butter a medium baking dish.
  • In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add ground beef, yellow onion and red bell pepper. Cook, stirring, until onion is tender and beef is no longer pink.
  • Drain off any excess fat and add tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, garlic, salt and black pepper. Bring to a simmer.
  • Add cooked pasta and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with an additional cup of mozzarella cheese.
  • Bake in preheated oven until golden and bubbly, about 25 to 30 minutes. Serve.

NOTES

  • Alternatively, you can use green bell pepper 
  • If you like spice, add red chili flakes in step 4 
  • Additionally, you can add dried basil in step 4 
  • Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and/or chopped basil if desired 
  • This recipe can be made using ground turkey or sausage if preferred