No-Boil Baked Penne with Meatballs
Total Time
55 minutes
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Rating
4.4 out of 5 stars
(63)
Ingredients
6 servings
- 8 ounces whole wheat penne pasta (half of the box)
- 1 28-ounce can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
- 2 cups milk (I used whole milk)
- 1/2 cup Land O Lakes® Butter, melted
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1–2 teaspoons salt (I use 2 teaspoons of coarse kosher salt)
- meatballs, cooked shredded chicken, or other protein of choice
- a few handfuls of spinach
- grated Parmesan cheese for topping
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Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Step 2
Mix all of the baked penne ingredients together in a 9×13 baking dish. Cover tightly with foil (double layer isn’t a bad idea).
Step 3
Bake for 35-40 minutes.
Step 4
Remove foil (HOT HOT HOT) and give it a stir. Add spinach and top with Parm, and brown it up for 3-5 minutes under the broiler. Let it stand for a few minutes so the sauce has a chance to thicken up. Voila!
Step 5
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Chef's notes
Protein:
This is delicious with meatballs (I used these [chicken meatballs](https
Veggies:
Seems like kale would also do really well in this recipe.
Garlic Thoughts:
I find that garlic powder and onion powder gives a distinct flavor that doesn’t replace fresh garlic but fills out the recipe really nicely. It gives some of the same savory flavor as what you might get if you added a packet of dry ranch or Italian seasoning or something… without using a packet of dry ranch or Italian seasoning.
Al Dente Seekers:
30 – 35 minutes = slightly al dente pasta. 40 minutes = softer noodles. Keep in mind that the noodles soften as they cool / move into the leftovers stage.
