Everyone needs a good, simple baked pasta recipe in their repertoire. This is the one I rely on often. You can make it with homemade sauce or jarred, and it lends itself well to all sorts of variations: sautéed greens, sausage, roasted vegetables, pickled peppers, and more. It can be assembled ahead of time, stashed in the fridge, and baked when needed 🎉.
Hours before the party, the pans of pasta were assembled and ready to go. Thirty minutes before the girls were due to arrive, into the oven they went. Just as the girls stepped into the house, shin guards and cleats flying everywhere, out came the piping hot pasta bakes, cheese bubbling, tips charred, corners crisp.
How nice, I thought, as the girls tucked into the simple spread — baked pasta, salad, focaccia , veggies and hummus — to have everything made in advance?
Earlier in the week I made the tomato sauce and the large batch Caesar dressing , and for ease, I bought the hummus (Little Sesame brand, which we all love). Overall, it was not a big effort, and, cheesy as it sounds, it warmed my heart to have a houseful of giggling girls.
I have made this pasta bake a handful of times since for friends in need for various reasons. When I have the time, I make the sauce, when I don’t, I buy it. Sometimes I make it without any additions, sometimes I add sausage and greens, sometimes I add roasted mushrooms. It lends itself well to improvising, and I just think everyone needs a recipe like this in their repertoire, one they can assemble quickly, one that feeds a lot of people, one that’s delicious and comforting.
How to Make Baked Penne, Step by Step
First, gather your ingredients. For the most basic version, you’ll need a pound of pasta, whole milk low-moisture mozzarella, parmesan, heavy cream, and tomato sauce. When I have the time, I’ll make a batch of this homemade tomato sauce , which yields exactly the amount you need for this recipe: 4 cups. When I’m pressed for time, I use 1 jar of the Rao’s vodka sauce and the difference in Rao’s marinara. Your favorite jarred sauce will work great here.
Measure your ingredients: 4 cups sauce, 1 cup cream, 8 ounces of mozzarella divided into two 4-ounce portions, and 1 cup of grated parmesan.
If you want to incorporate kale and sausage (or any other ingredients — roasted mushrooms, charred broccolini, pickled peppers), prep them now:
Start by bringing the pasta to a boil in well-salted water for 6 minutes:
Drain and rinse it:
Meanwhile, brown the sausage:
And stem the kale, if using:
Once the sausage is brown, transfer it to the baking dish or a large bowl:
Then sauté the kale in the same skillet:
Transfer it to the pan:
Then add the remaining ingredients — the parcooked pasta, half of the mozzarella, the grated parmesan, and the heavy cream — and toss to combine:
Ideally: use your favorite large bowl for this job:
Then transfer to the baking dish and top with the remaining mozzarella:
Transfer to a 375ºF oven for 35 minutes:
Let cool briefly before …
… serving. Caesar salad is a great match.
If you want to make this for a friend, pick up some 9×13-inch disposable pans:
And foil:
Description
This is the very simple baked pasta I’ve been making for roughly the last 6 months for various reasons: my daughter’s soccer team’s pasta party, a friend who had a baby, a friend who lost a husband, a friend who had a fire. It is delicious without any add-ins, but I prefer it with kale and sausage for the added flavor and textural elements they offer. Roasted mushrooms in place of the kale and sausage is also a variation I love.
Notes:
Sauce: I do prefer using a homemade sauce when I have the time, but I have made this plenty of times with jarred Rao’s: I pour a bottle of the vodka sauce into my 4-quart measure; then make up the difference with Rao’s marinara.
For mixing the pasta pre-baking, a very large bowl is so handy.
If gifting to a friend, make the recipe through step 4, then cover with foil, and write in Sharpie on top: Bake uncovered @375ºF for 35 minutes.
Kosher salt
1 pound short tube pasta, such as penne or ziti or, as here, mezzi rigatoni
4 cups tomato sauce, homemade or your favorite jarred sauce, see notes above
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano (2 to 2.5 ounces)
8 ounces whole milk, low-moisture mozzarella, divided
.75 lbs sweet or hot Italian sausage, optional
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
9 ounces Tuscan kale (pre-stemming), stemmed and roughly chopped
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Boil the pasta for 6 minutes; then drain and rinse under cold water.
- Transfer the pasta to a large bowl. Pat dry with a dish towel. Add the tomato sauce, heavy cream, parmesan, and 4 ounces of the mozzarella. Stir to combine.
- If you are adding the kale and sausage, place the sausage in a large skillet over high heat. As soon as it begins to sizzle, turn the heat to medium, and use a spoon to break it into smaller pieces. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occassionally to ensure it browns evenly. Transfer the sausage to the large bowl, leaving the fat behind. Add 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil to the skillet and set over medium-high heat. Add the kale and season with a pinch of salt. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes, using tongs to stir and rearrange the kale in the skillet until it is wilted down. Transfer the kale to the bowl and stir to combine.
- Transfer everything to a 9×13-inch baking dish (or disposable foil pan if you are gifting to a friend). Top with the remaining 4 ounces of mozzarella. (If gifting to a friend, see notes above.)
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until the mixture is bubbly and the edges are browned to your liking. Let cool briefly before serving.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Everyone needs a good, simple baked pasta recipe in their repertoire. This is the one I rely on often. You can make it with homemade sauce or jarred, and it lends itself well to all sorts of variations: sautéed greens, sausage, roasted vegetables, pickled peppers, and more. It can be assembled ahead of time, stashed in the fridge, and baked when needed 🎉.
Hours before the party, the pans of pasta were assembled and ready to go. Thirty minutes before the girls were due to arrive, into the oven they went. Just as the girls stepped into the house, shin guards and cleats flying everywhere, out came the piping hot pasta bakes, cheese bubbling, tips charred, corners crisp.
How nice, I thought, as the girls tucked into the simple spread — baked pasta, salad, focaccia , veggies and hummus — to have everything made in advance?
Earlier in the week I made the tomato sauce and the large batch Caesar dressing , and for ease, I bought the hummus (Little Sesame brand, which we all love). Overall, it was not a big effort, and, cheesy as it sounds, it warmed my heart to have a houseful of giggling girls.
I have made this pasta bake a handful of times since for friends in need for various reasons. When I have the time, I make the sauce, when I don’t, I buy it. Sometimes I make it without any additions, sometimes I add sausage and greens, sometimes I add roasted mushrooms. It lends itself well to improvising, and I just think everyone needs a recipe like this in their repertoire, one they can assemble quickly, one that feeds a lot of people, one that’s delicious and comforting.
How to Make Baked Penne, Step by Step
First, gather your ingredients. For the most basic version, you’ll need a pound of pasta, whole milk low-moisture mozzarella, parmesan, heavy cream, and tomato sauce. When I have the time, I’ll make a batch of this homemade tomato sauce , which yields exactly the amount you need for this recipe: 4 cups. When I’m pressed for time, I use 1 jar of the Rao’s vodka sauce and the difference in Rao’s marinara. Your favorite jarred sauce will work great here.
Measure your ingredients: 4 cups sauce, 1 cup cream, 8 ounces of mozzarella divided into two 4-ounce portions, and 1 cup of grated parmesan.
If you want to incorporate kale and sausage (or any other ingredients — roasted mushrooms, charred broccolini, pickled peppers), prep them now:
Start by bringing the pasta to a boil in well-salted water for 6 minutes:
Drain and rinse it:
Meanwhile, brown the sausage:
And stem the kale, if using:
Once the sausage is brown, transfer it to the baking dish or a large bowl:
Then sauté the kale in the same skillet:
Transfer it to the pan:
Then add the remaining ingredients — the parcooked pasta, half of the mozzarella, the grated parmesan, and the heavy cream — and toss to combine:
Ideally: use your favorite large bowl for this job:
Then transfer to the baking dish and top with the remaining mozzarella:
Transfer to a 375ºF oven for 35 minutes:
Let cool briefly before …
… serving. Caesar salad is a great match.
If you want to make this for a friend, pick up some 9×13-inch disposable pans:
And foil:
Description
This is the very simple baked pasta I’ve been making for roughly the last 6 months for various reasons: my daughter’s soccer team’s pasta party, a friend who had a baby, a friend who lost a husband, a friend who had a fire. It is delicious without any add-ins, but I prefer it with kale and sausage for the added flavor and textural elements they offer. Roasted mushrooms in place of the kale and sausage is also a variation I love.
Notes:
Sauce: I do prefer using a homemade sauce when I have the time, but I have made this plenty of times with jarred Rao’s: I pour a bottle of the vodka sauce into my 4-quart measure; then make up the difference with Rao’s marinara.
For mixing the pasta pre-baking, a very large bowl is so handy.
If gifting to a friend, make the recipe through step 4, then cover with foil, and write in Sharpie on top: Bake uncovered @375ºF for 35 minutes.
Kosher salt
1 pound short tube pasta, such as penne or ziti or, as here, mezzi rigatoni
4 cups tomato sauce, homemade or your favorite jarred sauce, see notes above
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano (2 to 2.5 ounces)
8 ounces whole milk, low-moisture mozzarella, divided
.75 lbs sweet or hot Italian sausage, optional
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
9 ounces Tuscan kale (pre-stemming), stemmed and roughly chopped
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Boil the pasta for 6 minutes; then drain and rinse under cold water.
- Transfer the pasta to a large bowl. Pat dry with a dish towel. Add the tomato sauce, heavy cream, parmesan, and 4 ounces of the mozzarella. Stir to combine.
- If you are adding the kale and sausage, place the sausage in a large skillet over high heat. As soon as it begins to sizzle, turn the heat to medium, and use a spoon to break it into smaller pieces. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occassionally to ensure it browns evenly. Transfer the sausage to the large bowl, leaving the fat behind. Add 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil to the skillet and set over medium-high heat. Add the kale and season with a pinch of salt. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes, using tongs to stir and rearrange the kale in the skillet until it is wilted down. Transfer the kale to the bowl and stir to combine.
- Transfer everything to a 9×13-inch baking dish (or disposable foil pan if you are gifting to a friend). Top with the remaining 4 ounces of mozzarella. (If gifting to a friend, see notes above.)
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until the mixture is bubbly and the edges are browned to your liking. Let cool briefly before serving.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Description
This is the very simple baked pasta I’ve been making for roughly the last 6 months for various reasons: my daughter’s soccer team’s pasta party, a friend who had a baby, a friend who lost a husband, a friend who had a fire. It is delicious without any add-ins, but I prefer it with kale and sausage for the added flavor and textural elements they offer. Roasted mushrooms in place of the kale and sausage is also a variation I love.
Notes:
Sauce: I do prefer using a homemade sauce when I have the time, but I have made this plenty of times with jarred Rao’s: I pour a bottle of the vodka sauce into my 4-quart measure; then make up the difference with Rao’s marinara.
For mixing the pasta pre-baking, a very large bowl is so handy.
If gifting to a friend, make the recipe through step 4, then cover with foil, and write in Sharpie on top: Bake uncovered @375ºF for 35 minutes.
Kosher salt
1 pound short tube pasta, such as penne or ziti or, as here, mezzi rigatoni
4 cups tomato sauce, homemade or your favorite jarred sauce, see notes above
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano (2 to 2.5 ounces)
8 ounces whole milk, low-moisture mozzarella, divided
.75 lbs sweet or hot Italian sausage, optional
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
9 ounces Tuscan kale (pre-stemming), stemmed and roughly chopped
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Boil the pasta for 6 minutes; then drain and rinse under cold water.
- Transfer the pasta to a large bowl. Pat dry with a dish towel. Add the tomato sauce, heavy cream, parmesan, and 4 ounces of the mozzarella. Stir to combine.
- If you are adding the kale and sausage, place the sausage in a large skillet over high heat. As soon as it begins to sizzle, turn the heat to medium, and use a spoon to break it into smaller pieces. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occassionally to ensure it browns evenly. Transfer the sausage to the large bowl, leaving the fat behind. Add 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil to the skillet and set over medium-high heat. Add the kale and season with a pinch of salt. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes, using tongs to stir and rearrange the kale in the skillet until it is wilted down. Transfer the kale to the bowl and stir to combine.
- Transfer everything to a 9×13-inch baking dish (or disposable foil pan if you are gifting to a friend). Top with the remaining 4 ounces of mozzarella. (If gifting to a friend, see notes above.)
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until the mixture is bubbly and the edges are browned to your liking. Let cool briefly before serving.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2025/01/18/simple-baked-pasta-to-bake-now-to-bring-to-a-friend-to-save-for-later/
Made without any egg, bread crumbs, oil, or mayonnaise, these turkey burgers remain moist and juicy when cooked and are so incredibly flavorful! They take no time to throw together and they’ve become a favorite family weeknight meal for their ease and deliciousness .
This turkey burger recipe comes from Mindy Kaling, who credits Oprah Winfrey with the recipe.
The recipe was unlike any turkey burger recipe I had seen: blend an apple, cilantro, scallions, mango chutney, soy sauce, and a few other seasonings in a food processor, mix the herby-spiced purée with the ground turkey, then form and grill the patties.
The recipe did not call for eggs, bread crumbs, mayonnaise, or oil, ingredients so often included in turkey burger recipes to prevent the patties from being dry, which turkey burgers can be due to the leanness of the meat.
But these burgers were not at all dry. They were moist, juicy, and oh-so-flavorful! They soon became a frequently requested meal by my children, which I happily honored, given their ease and deliciousness. Something I love about the recipe is that the shaped patties can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days before being cooked as needed.
How to Make Turkey Burgers, Step by Step
Gather your ingredients:
The only potentially hard ingredient you need is the mango chutney. I found this brand at my co-op, and I’ve been really liking it. I’m sure whatever brand you can find will be great:
You’ll also need ground turkey. I look for dark meat ground turkey (as opposed to leaner ground turkey made with from the breasts), but use what you like/can find:
Combine the seasonings in a food processor:
Then purée until smooth:
Pour the sauce over the ground turkey meat:
Then mix with your hands to combine:
Lightly oil a 1/2 cup dry measuring cup, then use it to scoop the mixture into 8 portions:
Using lightly oiled hands, shape each portion into a burger shape — the mixture is very wet/moist:
At this point you can cover the burgers and transfer to the fridge (for as long as 3 to 4 days) or you can cook them right away. I love the convenience of making them ahead — I’ve been placing four burgers each on two dinner plates; then tucking each plate into a ziptop bag and placing in the fridge until I need them. When ready, cook as many as you need in a grill pan for roughly 8 minutes total flipping after 3 to 4 minutes. Alternatively, you can broil the burgers for 8 minutes, flipping after 4 (see recipe box for more details).
You also could grill them, which is how we made them last summer, using a grill mat , for fear of grilling the delicate patties directly on the grates:
The original recipe calls for a pretzel bun , but you could use anything you like: English muffins , brioche buns , etc. Real talk: during the week, I’m buying the buns.
So juicy, so flavorful, so good!
Description
Made without any egg, bread crumbs, oil, or mayonnaise, these turkey burgers remain moist and juicy when cooked and are so incredibly flavorful! They take no time to throw together and they’ve become a favorite family weeknight meal for their ease and deliciousness .
Notes
I’ve adapted the recipe from this one featured on Katie Couric Media. The original recipe is credited to Chef Taryn of the Kismet Table and was popularized by both Oprah Winfrey and Mindy Kaling.
The original recipe called for 1.5 pounds of ground turkey, so I’ve scaled the recipe up to call for 2 pounds of ground turkey, and I’ve made a few other teensy changes:
- I love this Burlap and Barrel garlic powder , so I use 2 teaspoons of it in place of the fresh garlic. Use what you wish. If you do use garlic powder, make sure it’s salt free otherwise the burgers may be too salty.
- To ensure the burgers are not too spicy for the kids, I use regular chili powder in place of chipotle chili powder. Again, use what you wish.
Other Cooking Methods:
- The original recipe calls for using a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron. I have not tried this.
- To broil: Preheat your broiler with a rack on the highest shelf for at least 15 minutes. Lightly oil a small sheet pan or a sizzle pan with neutral oil. Place however many burgers you want to cook on the pan. Broil for 4 minutes. Flip. Broil for 4 minutes more.
- To Grill Outdoors: These burgers, in their uncooked state, are very moist and slightly difficult to handle — I would worry that they might stick to an outdoor grill or get very mangled in the process. When I have grilled them outdoors, I used one of these grill mats, which worked great. See photo above.
- I have never used a thermometer for these burgers, but if you wish to, an inserted thermometer should register 165°F. This is my favorite instant-read thermometer .
For the burgers:
- 1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro (about 1.5 ounces )
- 3 tablespoons mango chutney
- 1 tablespoon + 1.5 teaspoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt (Diamond Crystal Brand, use half as much if using Morton)
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder, see notes above, or 3 g arlic cloves, grated
- 1 small honey crisp coarsely chopped (4 to 5 ounces post chopping)
- 4 scallions, coarsely chopped
- 2 pounds ground dark-meat turkey
- neutral oil of choice (grapeseed, organic canola oil, avocado oil)
For serving:
- 8 brioche buns (store bought or homemade ), pretzel buns (store bought or homemade ), English muffins, or bun of your choice
- lettuce, ketchup, relish, or other condiments — I love it with raita or tzatziki
- Process cilantro, mango chutney, soy sauce, salt, curry powder, chili powder, garlic, apple, and scallions in a food processor until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to scrape sides as needed.
- Combine apple mixture and turkey in a large bowl, and mix with hands until thoroughly combined.
- Lightly oil a 1/2 cup dry measuring cup (inside and out), then use it to scoop the mixture into 8 portions. You can place the portions on a parchment-lined sheet pan or onto two dinner plates (4 portions on each plate… I like the dinner plate option, because I can tuck the entire plate into a ziptop bag and store each in the fridge until I need them.) Using lightly oiled hands, pat and shape each portion into a burger shape — the mixture will be very wet/mushy. At this point you can cover the burgers and transfer them to the fridge (for as long as 3 days), or you can cook them right away.
- Heat a large grill pan over medium to medium-high heat. (See notes above re other cooking methods such as using an outdoor grill or the broiler.) Add 1 tablespoon of oil, and brush to coat; add patties — they should sizzle when they hit the pan. Cook for 8 minutes total. I like to flip after 3 to 4 minutes — the burgers will be lightly charred… this is OK. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes on the other side. Flip again if necessary once or twice at the end. My burgers consistently are done in 8 minutes but err on the side of over-cooking them — they are forgiving and you want them to be cooked all the way through. Remove the burgers from the pan, and let rest on a plate for 4 to 5 minutes. Note: The burgers will continue to cook as they rest. And as noted above, I have never used a thermometer for these burgers, but if you wish to, an inserted thermometer should register 165°F.
- Meanwhile, toast the buns and pull out any and all condiments. Assemble your burgers and enjoy.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
