Description
This Ultimate Creamy Baked Penne is a rich and comforting pasta dish featuring al dente penne baked in a luscious blend of ground beef, creamy herbed cream cheese, marinara sauce, and mozzarella. Enhanced with Italian seasoning, fresh basil, and garlic, it’s a perfect crowd-pleaser for family dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 16 oz dried penne pasta
Meat and Dairy
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 5 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Vegetables & Herbs
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp minced fresh basil, plus additional for garnish
Pantry Items & Seasonings
- 48 oz marinara sauce (Rao’s brand recommended or homemade)
- 2 Tbsp dried Italian seasoning
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
Instructions
- Boil pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne 1-2 minutes less than package instructions for al dente texture. Drain and toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Prepare baking dish: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and butter a 3-quart baking dish. Set aside.
- Cook beef: In a Dutch oven or large deep skillet, optionally add a drizzle of olive oil and heat over medium-high. Add ground beef and cook, crumbling, for 4-5 minutes until browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat.
- Make herbed cream cheese mixture: While beef cooks, mix cream cheese, heavy cream, Italian seasoning, Parmesan, fresh basil, dried parsley, half of the salt, and half of the black pepper in a bowl until smooth and well combined.
- Cook vegetables: Add butter to the same pot with beef and reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion and sauté 4-5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Combine sauce ingredients: Return drained beef to the pot. Stir in marinara sauce, about two-thirds of the cream cheese mixture, and half the mozzarella cheese. Cook while stirring frequently for 1-2 minutes until melted and combined.
- Add pasta and seasoning: Stir in the cooked penne pasta, remaining salt, and pepper until evenly mixed.
- Bake the dish: Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Spread remaining one-third of the cream cheese mixture evenly on top, then sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Spray aluminum foil with nonstick spray and cover the dish with foil sprayed side down. Bake for 15 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve: Serve hot, garnished with additional minced fresh basil for a fresh and bright finish.
Notes
- Recipe yields approximately 6-8 servings; feel free to adjust serving sizes as desired.
- You can substitute homemade marinara sauce in equal amount if preferred.
- Italian sausage can be used in place of or combined with ground beef for a different flavor profile.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
