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Marinara Mozzarella Penne
Rachel Kim

Marinara Mozzarella Penne

The pasta cooks right in the marinara, which turns glossy and thick instead of merely coating the noodles. Keep the foil tight for the first stretch; escaping steam is how you end up with crunchy penne and a dry rim. The browned mozzarella goes on only after the noodles are tender.
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Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 8 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz dry penne pasta
  • 1 jar 24 oz marinara sauce
  • 2 1/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 375°F and coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Add the dry penne, marinara, broth, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper to the dish and stir until every noodle is wet.
  3. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
  4. Uncover and stir from the edges toward the center; test a noodle, and if it still has a hard core, add 1/4 cup hot water, reseal and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more.
  5. Scatter the mozzarella over tender pasta and bake uncovered for 10 minutes, until the sauce bubbles and the cheese has browned spots.
  6. Rest the casserole for 8 minutes so the sauce clings before serving.