Cheesy Pasta Bake
This pasta bake recipe is a super easy meal to make and tastes even better when eaten for leftovers. It can be made with Penne, Rigatoni, Ziti, and even Rotini! It's filled with a meaty pasta sauce with cherry tomatoes and jalapeno for extra flavor and topped with ricotta and mozzarella cheese. Chef's kiss!
Oh! Don't forget to serve it with hot and fresh garlic bread!
This is my go-to recipe when craving a flavorful pasta dish. It's fun to switch it up between all the different pasta types. So far, my favorite is Rotini and Penne. This recipe makes a serving for 8-10 people. If you crave this dish but aren't serving it to a big crowd, you can always eat it for leftovers or freeze it for later use. By the way, it tastes even better when eaten the next day. :)
Here are the ingredients you need for this recipe:
2 Boxes Pasta of Choice
1 Onion, diced
5 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 Jalapenos, chopped
2 Handfuls of Cherry Tomatoes, sliced in half
1 lb Ground Beef
2 tbsp Oil
3 tsp Salt
2 tsp Black Pepper
2 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp Onion Powder
2 1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
2 Jars Red Pasta Sauce
Ricotta Cheese
Mozzarella Cheese
3 Eggs
1/2 cup Milk
Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F.
Boil your choice of pasta according to the box. Sprinkle a bit of salt and oil into the water.
While your pasta is boiling, we will make the meat sauce.
Prep your veggies. Dice your onion and jalapenos and mince your garlic cloves. Also, cut your tomatoes in half.
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in your pan. When heated, add your onion and garlic. Let fry for about 1-2 minutes or until your onion turns translucent and a brownish color.
Add in your jalapenos and tomatoes and let cook until it all softens nicely.
Once veggies are softened, add in your ground beef and your seasonings. Mix and combine everything in the pan. Cover and let the meat cook until no longer pink.
Once your meat is fully cooked, pour in your two jars of red pasta sauce. I like to use the roasted garlic one or the tomato and basil. Mix and then cover the pot. Reduce your heat to medium-low and let it cook for about 3-5 minutes.
At this point, your pasta should be cooked. Combine your meat sauce with the pasta. Oil your casserole dish so the pasta doesn't stick to it. Add about half of the pasta/meat in the dish and then layer ricotta cheese over top of it. The amount is up to you! The more the better. ;)
Then add the rest of the pasta on top of the ricotta cheese layer.
In a separate mixing bowl, add your eggs and whisk. Then pour in your milk.
Pour this mixture over top of the pasta into the glass dish.
This mixture will help the pasta stay together when baking so it comes out in sections when serving.
Layer the top of the pasta with as much mozzarella as you like. Again, the more the better. ;)
Cover the dish with tin foil. Put it in the oven for about 10-20 minutes, or until the egg/milk mixture has baked and isn't liquidy.
When baked, remove the foil from the dish and turn your oven on high broil. Doing this will give your top layer of cheese nice burn marks.
Serve with hot garlic bread and enjoy!
Ingredients
2 Boxes Pasta of Choice
1 Onion, diced
5 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 Jalapenos, chopped
2 Handfuls of Cherry Tomatoes, sliced in half
1 lb Ground Beef
2 tbsp Oil
3 tsp Salt
2 tsp Black Pepper
2 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp Onion Powder
2 1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
2 Jars Red Pasta Sauce
Ricotta Cheese
Mozzarella Cheese
3 Eggs
1/2 cup Milk
Instructions
Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Boil your choice of pasta according to the box. Sprinkle a bit of salt and oil into the water.
While your pasta is boiling, we will make the meat sauce. Dice your onion and jalapenos and mince your garlic cloves. Also, cut your tomatoes in half.
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in your pan. When heated, add your onion and garlic. Let fry for about 1-2 minutes or until your onion turns translucent and a brownish color.
Add in your jalapenos and tomatoes and let cook until it all softens nicely.
Once veggies are softened, add in your ground beef and your seasonings. Mix and combine everything in the pan. Cover and let the meat cook until no longer pink.
Once your meat is fully cooked, pour in your two jars of red pasta sauce. Mix and then cover the pot. Reduce your heat to low and let it cook for about 3-5 minutes.
Combine your meat sauce with the pasta. Oil your casserole dish so the pasta doesn't stick to it. Add about half of the pasta/meat in the dish and then layer ricotta cheese over top of it. The amount is up to you!
Then add the rest of the pasta on top of the ricotta cheese layer.
In a separate mixing bowl, add your eggs and whisk. Then pour in your milk.
Pour this mixture over top of the pasta into the glass dish. This mixture will help the pasta stay together when baking so it comes out in sections when serving.
Layer the top of the pasta with as much mozzarella as you like.
Cover the dish with tin foil. Put it in the oven for about 10-20 minutes, or until the egg/milk mixture has baked and isn't liquidy. When baked, remove the foil from the dish and turn your oven on high broil. Doing this will give your top layer of cheese nice burn marks.
Serve with hot garlic bread and enjoy!
It's Hayati
Don't forget to smile, it's Sunnah! :)