Baked Penne Pomodoro

Penne pasta baked in Pomodoro Sauce with Italian Meatballs, topped with roasted cherry tomatoes, melted Mozzarella cheese, fresh chopped parsley and basil. It’s beautiful and wonderfully delicious. Buon Appetito!

Baked Penne Pomodoro Recipe

Baked Penne Pomodoro

Scott James Gaspard

Pasta and meatballs baked in Pomodoro sauce, topped with cherry tomatoes and Mozzarella cheese.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 2 people

Calories 887 kcal

Equipment

• cutting board
• kitchen knife
• large stockpot – for the pasta
• large stockpot or Dutch oven – for the sauce
• high-sided casserole dish
• cooking spray

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 cups Arrabbiata or Pomodoro Sauce – see linked recipe
• 3 Italian Meatballs – cut in half
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 cups uncooked penne pasta
• 6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese – cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes – halved
• 1 cup beef broth
• ¼ cup basil – finely chopped
• ¼ cup Italian parsley – finely chopped

Instructions

 

• Follow the linked instructions to make an Arrabbiata or Pomodoro sauce. Add halved Italian Meatballs to the sauce. Reserve half of the Basil used in the sauce. Simmer in a Dutch oven partially covered with a lid.
  3 cups Arrabbiata or Pomodoro Sauce, 3 Italian Meatballs
  
• Fill a large stockpot ¾ with water. Set heat to high so that it will come up to a boil.
  
• When the water boils, add the uncooked pasta. Boil the pasta until it is cooked but still firm. It will continue to absorb liquid when we add it to the sauce. Preheat the oven to 350℉.
  2 cups uncooked penne pasta, 1 tsp kosher salt
  
• Every 15 minutes, give the sauce a good stir so that does not burn on the bottom of the pan.
  
• Cut the Mozzarella ball into 1-inch cubes. Add a pinch of kosher salt to the cheese.
  6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
  
• Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, and add a pinch of salt.
  1 cup cherry tomatoes
  
• When the pasta is firm, strain it through a colander. Allow excess liquid to steam off.
  
• Add the cooked pasta directly to the sauce.
  
• Stir the pasta into the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add some beef broth. You want for the sauce to be thick enough to stick to the outside of the pasta, but thin enough to get inside.
  1 cup beef broth
  
• Spray a high-sided casserole dish with cooking spray. Pour the sauce and pasta into the dish.
  
• Add the halved cherry tomatoes, Mozzarella cubes, the remaining chopped basil and the chopped parsley to the top of the sauce. Do not stir it in.
  1/4 cup Italian parsley, 1/4 cup basil
  
• Add the casserole dish to the center rack of the hot oven. Bake for 20 minutes.
  
• Remove the casserole from the oven. The cheese should be melted, and the cherry tomatoes should be roasted. Let cool for a few minutes until it can be safely handled.
  
• Add pasta to shallow bowls, making sure to get meatballs, cherry tomatoes, and melted cheese. Serve with herbed garlic bread.
  

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Nutrition

Calories: 887kcal | Carbohydrates: 106g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 3520mg | Potassium: 1143mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 2388IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 586mg | Iron: 7mg

More Information

Garlic Bread

Garlic Bread is super easy to make, and pairs perfectly with Italian dishes. Split a hoagie, slather with butter, top with garlic powder and fresh parsley. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Delicious!

Variations

Meats

Baked Penne Pomodoro would be just fine without any meat at all. Or, instead of meatballs you could use some spicy Italian sausage. Shredded chicken would also be a great meat option in this dish.

Pastas

Any hollow pasta would work nicely in Penne Pomodoro. Ziti, Manicotti, Rigatoni, or even Macaroni are good options. Hollow pastas will draw the Pomodoro sauce up into their hollow shape, making every bite saucy and delicious.

Cheeses

I love the way the Mozzarella melts into yummy, gooey blobs in baked penne pomodoro. The penne pasta, sauce and cheese meld together into a beautiful symphonic opera of flavors and aromas. I can’t help but hear Luciano Pavarotti singing in my ear. Every melty, saucy bite of pasta will be music to your mouth. But sometime you just gotta have more cheese. For extra cheesy goodness, top with freshly grated sweet Parmigiana or salty Pecorino just before serving.

Herbs

Any of the classic Italian herbs would taste great added to this dish. Chopped fresh parsley, basil, thyme, or oregano would each add a nice aroma and flavor. Don’t go overboard, though. Too many fresh herbs will unbalance the sauce. Just a pinch or two is all you need.

Spiciness

For a more spicy penne pomodoro, transform your Pomodoro sauce to Arrabbiata sauce by adding a tsp of red pepper flakes. See the recipe link below.

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