About this recipe

A hearty, crowd-pleasing pasta bake loaded with a rich tomato meat sauce, tender pasta, and a golden, bubbling cheese topping. This batch-friendly classic is perfect for weekly meal prep — it reheats beautifully and only gets better the next day.

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to ![400°F]. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the penne pasta 2 minutes less than the package directions (it will finish cooking in the oven). Drain and set aside.

2. 2

   Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over ^[medium-high heat]. Add the diced yellow onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and cook until no longer pink, about 5–6 minutes. Drain any excess fat.

3. 3

   Stir in the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, dried basil, red pepper flakes (if using), kosher salt, and black pepper. Reduce heat to ^[medium-low] and simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning.

4. 4

   Add the drained penne pasta to the skillet with the meat sauce and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Scatter 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese over the top, then sprinkle the Parmesan cheese evenly, followed by the remaining ½ cup of mozzarella cheese.

5. 5

   Bake uncovered at ![400°F] for 20–25 minutes, until the cheese is melted, golden, and bubbling around the edges. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.