Description
This Baked Penne is a crowd-pleaser with its rich flavor from Italian sausage and creamy mozzarella. Perfect for a quick and delightful dinner that everyone will love!
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz medium pasta shells
- 2 teaspoon olive oil, or cooking oil of choice
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup shallots, (or onions) minced
- 12 oz italian sausage, removed from casing
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 ½ tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, (or more to taste)
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
- pinch red pepper flakes, optional
- ¾ cup low fat (2%) cottage cheese, small curds
- 6 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- chopped italian parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook pasta by preparing pasta shells to al dente according to package directions. Drain and let cool.
- Make the sauce by heating olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots; cook for 2-3 minutes until softened, stirring often. Add sausage and cook until browned, breaking into small pieces. Drain excess fat.
- Simmer by adding crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and cook for 10-15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, then cool for 15 minutes.
- Assemble by preheating the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix cooled pasta, cooled sauce, cottage cheese, and mozzarella cubes. Toss well and transfer to a 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with shredded mozzarella.
- Bake for 20 minutes until cheese melts. Broil for 30-45 seconds to brown the top. Let stand for 5-8 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley.
Notes
Feel free to add more vegetables like bell peppers or spinach for extra nutrition.
This dish can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator before baking.
Leftovers can be reheated in the oven or microwave for a quick meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 43g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 55mg