Are you a pasta lover but don’t have the time or experience to whip up an amazing pasta dish? Well, you will be surprised to know that there are plenty of easy pasta recipes you can try. All you need are a few ingredients, some cooking tips, a little time and you can perfect these pasta dishes in no time!
One of the easiest and most delicious pasta dishes I have tried is the baked meatball penne. The name may sound intimidating but trust me, it is very easy to make! If you wish to try this simple recipe, this article will tell you exactly what you need to do!
What You Will Need
Here are the ingredients you will need for this delicious pasta recipe:
For the Marinara Sauce
- 2 cans of stewed tomatoes.
- 4 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley.
- 1 can of tomato paste.
- 1 teaspoon of salt.
- 1 piece of garlic clove (minced).
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano.
- ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper.
- 1/3 cup of diced onion.
- 6 tablespoons of olive oil.
- ½ cup of white wine.
For the Meatballs
- ½ pound of ground beef.
- ¼ pound of pork.
- ¼ pound of veal.
- 1 piece of garlic cloves (minced).
- ½ cup of grated Romano cheese.
- 2 eggs.
- ¾ tablespoon of fresh parsley.
- 1 cup of bread crumbs.
- ¾ cup of lukewarm water.
- ½ cup of olive oil.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
For the Pasta Dish
- 16 oz. of penne.
- 8 oz. of shredded mozzarella.
- 3 tablespoons of chopped basil leaves.
How to Make One of the Best Easy Pasta Recipes: A Step by Step Guide
Are you ready to whip up the easiest pasta dish you can ever make? Here are the steps you need to follow:
Step 1. Make the marinara sauce.
Place the tomato paste, stewed tomatoes, garlic, parsley, pepper, salt and oregano in a food processor. Blend everything until you have achieved a smooth mixture.
Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and let it heat for a while. Saute onion for 2 minutes then add in white wine and the tomato sauce mixture. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring from time to time.
Pro Tip: You can also use a slow cooker for this for easy cleanup. Just make sure to use a liner in your slow cooker.
Step 2. Make the meatballs.
Mix the pork, veal, and beef in a big bowl. Add the cheese, eggs, salt, pepper, parsley and garlic to the mix. Add in the breadcrumbs then add water, ½ cup at a time. It will take you about ½ to 1 cup to moisten the mixture properly. Using your hands, shape the mixture into balls.
Place skillet over medium heat and fry the balls for a few minutes on each side.
Step 3. Cook pasta.
Cook the pasta following the instructions that are written on the label.
Pro Tip: Try to reduce the cooking time of the pasta for a minute or two so you can serve it al dente. You should also drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water right away to halt the cooking process.
Step 4. Mix marinara sauce and meatballs with the pasta.
Place marinara sauce in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the meatballs and fully coat the balls with sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the pasta to the skillet and mix everything well.
Step 5. Bake.
Transfer the pasta mixture to a casserole dish. As much as possible, try to arrange the meatballs on top. Top off with mozzarella cheese. Bake the dish at 350 degrees for half an hour or 30 minutes. The cheese should be melted and bubbly by then.
Pro Tip: If you are using frozen mozzarella, it is best that you thaw it first before adding it to the dish.
Step 6. Garnish and serve.
Put on some baking gloves or use a pot holder to get the baking dish from the oven. Garnish with chopped fresh basil leaves. Serve hot!
Pro Tip: For the ultimate Italian experience, serve this dish with bread sticks or garlic bread.
- For the Marinara Sauce
- 2 cans of stewed tomatoes.
- 4 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley.
- 1 can of tomato paste.
- 1 teaspoon of salt.
- 1 piece of garlic clove (minced).
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano.
- ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper.
- ⅓ cup of diced onion.
- 6 tablespoons of olive oil.
- ½ cup of white wine.
- For the Meatballs
- ½ pound of ground beef.
- ¼ pound of pork.
- ¼ pound of veal.
- 1 piece of garlic cloves (minced).
- ½ cup of grated Romano cheese.
- 2 eggs.
- ¾ tablespoon of fresh parsley.
- 1 cup of bread crumbs.
- ¾ cup of lukewarm water.
- ½ cup of olive oil.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- For the Pasta Dish
- 16 oz. of penne.
- 8 oz. of shredded mozzarella.
- 3 tablespoons of chopped basil leaves.
- Place the tomato paste, stewed tomatoes, garlic, parsley, pepper, salt and oregano in a food processor. Blend everything until you have achieved a smooth mixture.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and let it heat . Saute onion for 2 minutes then add in white wine and the tomato sauce mixture. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Mix the pork, veal, and beef in a big bowl. Add the cheese, eggs, salt, pepper, parsley and garlic to the mix. Add in the breadcrumbs then water, ½ cup at a time. It will take you about ½ to 1 cup to moisten the mixture properly. Using your hands, shape the mixture into balls.
- Place skillet over medium heat and fry the balls for a few minutes on each side.
- Cook the pasta following the instructions that are written on the label.
- Place marinara sauce in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the meatballs and fully coat the balls with sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the pasta to the skillet and mix everything well.
- Transfer the pasta mixture to a casserole dish. Arrange the meatballs on top. Top off with mozzarella cheese. Bake the dish at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. The cheese should be melted and bubbly by then.
- Garnish with chopped fresh basil leaves.
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Conclusion
Cooking pasta dishes can be quite intimidating and time-consuming. But that should not always be the case. You will be surprised to know that there are plenty of easy pasta recipes that you can try like this baked meatball penne recipe.
The recipe that we have provided above is easy and quick to make, even if you are a kitchen newbie! If you don’t believe me, you should try it for yourself!
Did you enjoy our short tutorial? We hope you’ll love the finished product too! If you enjoyed this dish, please share this with your fellow pasta lovers so they can enjoy a delicious pasta dish that is easy to make!
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What a delicious dish of pasta! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday. Have a great week and come back soon!
Miz Helen
I swear Robin my girls would live on pasta if they could so this is perfect for them
This sounds like a recipe to please everyone. All natural, easy to make, simple ingredients and a little extra flare. Sounds good to me. Pinning.