Layered Baked Pasta with Roasted Garlic and Tomato Sauce
A comforting baked pasta dish featuring layers of tender pasta, roasted garlic tomato sauce, and melted mozzarella cheese. This Italian Super Bowl recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 55 minutes, pairs penne pasta, garlic cloves, and olive oil for a weeknight-friendly dinner. Each serving lands at about 420 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Build a week of meals around this recipe" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 12 oz penne pasta
- 6 whole garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
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Equipment for this recipe
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Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place 6 whole garlic cloves on a small baking dish, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, and roast for 20 minutes until soft and fragrant.
- Step 2: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add 12 oz penne pasta and cook for 9 minutes until al dente, then drain and set aside.
- Step 3: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm 2 tbsp olive oil. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins into the pan and sauté with 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Let simmer for 10 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
- Step 4: In a 9x13 inch baking dish, spread a third of the tomato sauce evenly. Layer half of the cooked penne over the sauce, then sprinkle 4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese and half of the chopped 1/4 cup basil. Repeat layering with remaining sauce, pasta, mozzarella, and basil.
- Step 5: Top the final layer with 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered at 400°F for 20 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden around edges. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
