Description
Gooey and crowd-pleasing pasta bake inspired by pepperoni pizza.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds uncooked penne pasta
- 6 cups (48 oz.) marinara sauce
- 20 ounces sliced pepperoni (reserve some for topping)
- 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a large 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook penne in a large pot of salted water until just al dente. Drain and return to pot.
- Stir in marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes (if using), and most of the pepperoni slices.
- Fold in 3 cups of shredded mozzarella until well combined.
- Transfer mixture to the baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup of mozzarella on top and layer with the reserved pepperoni slices.
- Cover loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered for another 10–15 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired.
Notes
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of the dish
- Calories: 610
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 1200mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 62g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
Keywords: Cheesy Pizza Pasta Bake, Pasta Bake, Comfort Food, Easy Recipe