When you’re craving a hearty Italian pasta dish for dinner but you don’t have the energy to prepare an elaborate meal, this is the perfect dish. It has all your favorite Italian pasta flavors. It’s packed with hearty beef, with the added flavor zing from slices of pepperoni. Cheesy and saucy with all the traditional Italian flavors we all love. The best part? It comes together in just a few quick minutes in one pan. You will be hard pressed to find an easier to make, delicious Italian meal than this one. If you can stir ingredients together you can easily make this dish. Trust me…you got this!
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F.
Place the pasta in the bottom of a baking dish.
Add the marinara sauce, water, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes.
Stir to combine everything with the pasta.
Add the chopped pepperoni slices, and meatballs.
Give it another good stir to combine all the ingredients together.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Top with a generous layer of shredded Mozzarella cheese.
A generous layer is good!!! Right? Honestly, can you ever really have too much cheese? Confession…the amount listed on the list of ingredients is merely a suggested serving amount…LOL!
Bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly, cheese is browned along the edges and the casserole is heated through.
TIP: Cover casserole loosley with a sheet of foil if cheese is getting too dark along the edges as it bakes.
Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve with garlic bread and a crisp green salad to round out the meal.
May I suggest pairing it with this delicious, easy to make Rockin’ Good Rocket Salad. It’s just as easy to make as this pasta dish. This healthy salad will rock your socks off! It’s that good!!!
Spread some of the Best Garlic Butter Ever on a loaf of French Bread and bake it up in the oven alongside this Italian Pasta Bake. How easy-peasy is that? Pasta…salad…garlic bread, a full on meaty Italian meal with about 5 minutes worth of effort. Gotta love that!
Leftovers are great for lunch the next day, that is if you have any leftovers. Not only is this one of the easiest pasta dishes you will ever make, but it’s absolutely delicious too. Being able to make it all in one dish means clean up is a snap as well!
This is one of those recipes you are going to want to keep in your arsenal. Chances are you have most of the ingredients in your fridge, freezer and pantry right now. Use whatever tubular pasta and marinara sauce you have on hand. Frozen meatballs are a huge timesaver but you could most certainly make your own if you are so inclined and the addition of the sliced pepperoni brings even more flavor to the pasta party!
Your family is going to love this meal! You’re going to love how easy it is to make!
An Easy To Make, Meaty Italian Pasta Bake
Equipment
- oven safe casserole dish with high sides
Ingredients
- 8 oz pasta, penne, elbow or rigatoni
- 1 cup water
- 3 oz sliced pepperoni, roughly chopped
- 1 lb frozen Italian meatballs, cut in half
- 1 jar marinara sauce
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place pasta in the bottom of baking dish.
- Add water, marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes.
- Give it a good stir to combine all the ingredients.
- Add pepperoni slices, and meatballs and give everything another good stir to combine everything together.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and top with a generous layer of shredded Mozzarella cheese.
- Bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes until sauce is hot and bubbly, cheese is melted and browned along the edges, and the casserole is heated through.
- Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve with garlic bread and a crisp green salad to round out the meal.
Did You Make This?
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