Penne Bolognese Casserole
Who doesn’t love a rich, gooey pasta bake, especially when all the work was done weeks ago? In this freezer-friendly recipe, we undercook the penne so it’s perfectly al dente (never overdone) once baked. Garnish with parsley or basil before serving.
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp unsalted tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 16-oz BPA-free can crushed tomatoes with basil
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp each ground black pepper and red pepper flakes
- 8 oz whole-grain penne pasta (TRY: Jovial 100% Organic Einkorn Whole Wheat Penne Rigate)
- 1 cup whole-milk cottage cheese
- 4 oz grated mozzarella cheese
Preparation
TO FREEZE:
1. Heat a large skillet on medium- high. Add beef and cook, breaking up with a spatula, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain beef and transfer to a plate.
2. To skillet, heat oil on medium- high. Add onion, carrot and celery; sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste and garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 45 seconds. Add broth and bring to a simmer, scraping up browned bits. Add tomatoes, Italian seasoning and bay leaf. Return beef to skillet, stir and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf; season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
3. Meanwhile, boil pasta until just underdone, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain; rinse with cool water and drain again.
4. Pour pasta into an oven-safe 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish. Stir in 3 cups tomato sauce-beef mixture. Top pasta with dollops of cottage cheese. Spoon remaining tomato sauce-beef mixture over top; sprinkle with mozzarella. Cover and refrigerate until completely cool, 1 hour. Wrap dish in foil. Freeze up to 3 months.
TO COOK:
5. Preheat oven to 375°F. As oven warms, let frozen pasta sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. (NOTE: Going directly from freezer to oven may cause some glass baking dishes to shatter from heat shock.) Bake, covered, until bubbling and heated to an internal temperature of 165°F, about 1 hour. Remove foil and bake until top is golden brown in places, 5 to 10 minutes.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1/6 of recipe
- Calories 423
- Carbohydrate Content 40 g
- Cholesterol Content 65 mg
- Fat Content 17 g
- Fiber Content 5 g
- Protein Content 30 g
- Saturated Fat Content 7 g
- Sodium Content 703 mg
- Sugar Content 8 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 1 g