Baked Cheesy Pasta

dinner party · oven-baked

Baked Cheesy Pasta

45 minMediumServes 2Kids OK

Ingredients

penne (or macaroni) pasta200g (7oz)Any store
mozzarella cheese150gAny store
ground meat (or sausage)150gAny store
onion1/2Any store

Sauce

tomato sauce300mlAny store
parmesan cheese3 TbspAny store
minced garlic1 TbspAny store
olive oil1 TbspEither
8 to buy
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Steps

1

Boil the penne in salted water until al dente.

~10 min

2

Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté the minced garlic, onion, and ground meat.

~6 min

3

Add the tomato sauce and simmer to build the sauce.

~5 min

4

Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce until evenly coated.

~2 min

5

Transfer to a baking dish and top generously with mozzarella and parmesan.

~3 min

6

Bake in a 200°C (400°F) oven until the cheese turns golden.

~15 min

Why: The cheese needs to fully melt and lightly brown on top for the best flavor.

Watch out: Baking too long dries out the pasta underneath — pull it as soon as the cheese browns.

Tips

  • —

    Slightly undercook the pasta so it finishes cooking perfectly in the oven.

  • —

    Mixing mozzarella and parmesan gives you both stretch and savory depth.

  • —

    Sausage adds a saltier, more convenient shortcut than ground meat.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 2 days; reheat in an oven or air fryer rather than a microwave to keep the cheese texture good.