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    Home / Recipes / Main Dishes / Beef Recipes

    Freezer-Friendly Penne Pasta Bake

    Jump to Recipe
    Top image is an overhead view of ingredients for Penne Pasta Bake: penne pasta, cooked ground beef, spaghetti sauce, brown gravy, garlic, half and half, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, herbs, salt & pepper, middle image is pasta and sauce mixed in a large pot, bottom image is an overhead view of penne pasta bake topped with melted cheese in a glass pan with a spoonful scooped out and held toward the camera, text: freezer friendly penne pasta bake
    Top image is an overhead view of ingredients for Penne Pasta Bake: penne pasta, cooked ground beef, spaghetti sauce, brown gravy, garlic, half and half, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, herbs, salt & pepper, bottom image is an overhead view of penne pasta bake topped with melted cheese in a glass pan with a spoonful scooped out and held toward the camera, text: freezer friendly penne pasta bake

    Let go of the ordinary with the distinctive flavor of our delicious freezer-friendly Penne Pasta Bake! Traditional red sauce is replaced with a creamy combination of brown gravy, spaghetti sauce, and half & half and flavored with garlic, herbs, and cheese.

    Jump to:
    • ⏲️ Time needed
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • 📋 Instructions
    • ❄️ Freezer instructions
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 🥗 Side dishes
    • 📌 Pin this recipe

    Side view of penne pasta bake topped with melted cheese in a glass pan with a spoonful scooped out and held toward the camera

     

    ⏲️ Time needed

    Prep time is reduced by simmering the sauce for the casserole while the penne pasta cooks, both of which take about 10 minutes. If you aren't using our system of keeping cooked ground beef in the freezer, you'll need to add about 10 minutes to brown your beef.

    After the pasta bake is assembled, it takes 25 minutes in the oven, so the dish is ready from start to finish in about 40 minutes if your beef is cooked, or 50 minutes if it needs browning.

    🥘 Ingredients

    Overhead view of ingredients for Penne Pasta Bake: penne pasta, cooked ground beef, spaghetti sauce, brown gravy, garlic, half and half, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, herbs, salt & pepper

    Although it looks like a lot of ingredients, there is very little prep to this dish. The garlic, pasta, and beef need to be cooked (and if you keep cooked ground beef in the freezer, you can eliminate that), but everything else is mixed together and simmered before baking.

    • olive oil
    • cooked ground beef
    • minced garlic
    • spaghetti sauce
    • brown gravy
    • half and half
    • shredded Parmesan cheese
    • oregano
    • rosemary
    • salt and pepper
    • penne pasta
    • shredded mozzarella cheese
    • non-stick cooking spray

    📋 Instructions

    Preheat oven to 350°F so it will be hot when the penne pasta bake is ready to go in the oven.

    Start by cooking the pasta according to package directions, and while the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce.

    Sauté the minced garlic in oil over low heat for 1-2 minutes in a large fry pan or pot. Do not let it overcook - you don't want it to get brown.

    A wooden spoon stirring minced garlic in a pan

    Add the cooked beef, spaghetti sauce, brown gravy, half & half, herbs, and salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes.

    Overhead view of unbaked penne pasta bake topped with shredded cheese in a glass pan

    When the pasta is done and the ground beef mixture has simmered for 10 minutes, gently stir the cooked pasta into the ground beef mixture.

    overhead view of cooked penne pasta and cooked ground beef in a creamy sauce in a large pot

    Pour the mixture into a prepared baking dish and sprinkle the top with mozzarella cheese...

    Overhead view of unbaked penne pasta bake topped with shredded cheese in a glass pan

    ... and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes.

    Overhead view of baked penne pasta bake topped with shredded cheese in a glass pan

    That's it!

    ❄️ Freezer instructions

    This pasta dish freezes well so you may want to double the ingredients on your shopping list and make an extra pan for the freezer.

    Prepare the recipe as instructed, but do not bake. Wrap with foil or freezer paper and label with "Penne Pasta Bake: Thaw and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes."

    📖 Recipe

    Side view of penne pasta bake topped with melted cheese in a glass pan with a spoonful scooped out and held toward the camera

    Freezer-Friendly Penne Pasta Bake

    Let go of the ordinary with the distinctive flavor of our delicious freezer-friendly Penne Pasta Bake! Traditional red sauce is replaced with a creamy combination of brown gravy, spaghetti sauce, and half & half and flavored with garlic, herbs, and cheese.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Add to Collection Go to Collections
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 35 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Main Dish
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 357

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 lb. ground beef, browned
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • ¾ cup spaghetti sauce
    • ¾ cup brown gravy
    • ½ cup half and half
    • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
    • 1 teaspoon oregano
    • ½ teaspoon rosemary
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 12 oz. penne pasta
    • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
    • non-stick cooking spray
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350°F.
    • Cook pasta according to package directions.
    • While pasta is cooking, sauté garlic in oil over low heat for 1-2 minutes in a large fry pan.
    • Add all remaining ingredients except mozzarella cheese and pasta and simmer for 10 minutes.
    • Add pasta and mix gently. Pour mixture into a prepared baking dish and sprinkle the top with mozzarella cheese.
    • Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes.

    Notes

    This pasta dish freezes well so you may want to double the ingredients on your shopping list and make an extra pan for the freezer. Prepare your recipe for the freezer, but do not bake. Wrap with foil or freezer paper and label with "Penne Pasta Bake: Thaw and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes."

    Nutrition per serving

    Calories: 357 calCarbohydrates: 36 gProtein: 23 gFat: 13 gSodium: 428 mgFiber: 2 gSugar: 3 g
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    🥗 Side dishes

    Simple sides are the best for this dish so you don't have too many competing flavors. I like to serve this with Caesar salad or a green vegetable. If you don't mind the extra carbs, garlic bread is delicious on the side.

    📌 Pin this recipe

    Top image is an overhead view of ingredients for Penne Pasta Bake: penne pasta, cooked ground beef, spaghetti sauce, brown gravy, garlic, half and half, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, herbs, salt & pepper, bottom image is an overhead view of penne pasta bake topped with melted cheese in a glass pan with a spoonful scooped out and held toward the camera, text: freezer friendly penne pasta bake

    Freezer-Friendly Penne Pasta Bake
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    Posted by Mary Ann on January 28, 2020; Updated on September 16, 2021Filed Under: Beef Recipes, Bulk Cooking/Freezer Cooking Recipes, Oven Recipes, Pasta Recipes, Recipes Using Cooked Ground Beef

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    Mary Ann Kelley

    Hi there! I'm Mary Ann Kelley, and I'm the food blogger/meal planner here at Add Salt & Serve. Read more

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