Simple Baked Pasta (To Bake Now, To Bring to a Friend, To Save for Later)

Everyone needs a good, simple baked pasta recipe in their repertoire. This is the one I rely on often. You can make it with homemade sauce or jarred, and it lends itself well to all sorts of variations: sautéed greens, sausage, roasted vegetables, pickled peppers, and more. It can be assembled ahead of time, stashed in the fridge, and baked when needed 🎉.

I have been wanting to share this simple baked pasta recipe since the fall, when I made five of them for my daughter’s school soccer team’s pasta party, and which gave me such an appreciation for the baked pasta genre.

Hours before the party, the pans of pasta were assembled and ready to go. Thirty minutes before the girls were due to arrive, into the oven they went. Just as the girls stepped into the house, shin guards and cleats flying everywhere, out came the piping hot pasta bakes, cheese bubbling, tips charred, corners crisp.

How nice, I thought, as the girls tucked into the simple spread — baked pasta, salad, focaccia, veggies and hummus — to have everything made in advance?

Earlier in the week I made the tomato sauce and the large batch Caesar dressing, and for ease, I bought the hummus (Little Sesame brand, which we all love). Overall, it was not a big effort, and, cheesy as it sounds, it warmed my heart to have a houseful of giggling girls.

I have made this pasta bake a handful of times since for friends in need for various reasons. When I have the time, I make the sauce, when I don’t, I buy it. Sometimes I make it without any additions, sometimes I add sausage and greens, sometimes I add roasted mushrooms. It lends itself well to improvising, and I just think everyone needs a recipe like this in their repertoire, one they can assemble quickly, one that feeds a lot of people, one that’s delicious and comforting.

How to Make Baked Penne, Step by Step

First, gather your ingredients. For the most basic version, you’ll need a pound of pasta, whole milk low-moisture mozzarella, parmesan, heavy cream, and tomato sauce. When I have the time, I’ll make a batch of this homemade tomato sauce, which yields exactly the amount you need for this recipe: 4 cups. When I’m pressed for time, I use 1 jar of the Rao’s vodka sauce and the difference in Rao’s marinara. Your favorite jarred sauce will work great here.

Measure your ingredients: 4 cups sauce, 1 cup cream, 8 ounces of mozzarella divided into two 4-ounce portions, and 1 cup of grated parmesan.

If you want to incorporate kale and sausage (or any other ingredients — roasted mushrooms, charred broccolini, pickled peppers), prep them now:

Start by bringing the pasta to a boil in well-salted water for 6 minutes:

Drain and rinse it:

Meanwhile, brown the sausage:

And stem the kale, if using:

Once the sausage is brown, transfer it to the baking dish or a large bowl:

Then sauté the kale in the same skillet:

Transfer it to the pan:

Then add the remaining ingredients — the parcooked pasta, half of the mozzarella, the grated parmesan, and the heavy cream — and toss to combine:

Ideally: use your favorite large bowl for this job:

Then transfer to the baking dish and top with the remaining mozzarella:

Transfer to a 375ºF oven for 35 minutes:

Let cool briefly before …

… serving. Caesar salad is a great match.

If you want to make this for a friend, pick up some 9×13-inch disposable pans:

And foil:

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