Description
A comforting one-dish meal combining penne pasta, marinara sauce, melty mozzarella, and pepperoni for a quick weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz penne pasta (sub fusilli or rigatoni if preferred)
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup sliced pepperoni
- 1/2 cup sliced bell peppers (optional)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×9-inch baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then cook the penne until just al dente. Drain well.
- In a large bowl, combine the hot pasta with the marinara, 1 cup of mozzarella, pepperoni, sliced peppers, Italian seasoning, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir until everything is evenly coated.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
- Sprinkle the top with the remaining mozzarella and the grated Parmesan.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and starting to brown at the edges.
- Let the bake cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
For a vegetarian bake, omit the pepperoni and add mushrooms or spinach. If you’re dairy-free, use a plant-based mozzarella and sprinkle with nutritional yeast.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: pizza, pasta, bake, quick dinner, comfort food