A delicious meatless pasta recipe is perfect for a weekday meal that the whole family will love! The creamy cottage cheese and pesto with the homemade marinara sauce really makes this a delicious cozy dish!
This dish is the ultimate comfort meal with layers of delicious flavours that you will want to make over and over again. Who doesn’t love an easy recipe after a busy day at work and guaranteed that the kids will love it! If you happen to have any leftover, and let’s be honest who doesn’t love leftovers, simply double the recipe and make it in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
This recipe I added cottage cheese as a cheese filling. I like the many benefits of cottage cheese, it’s flavour, creaminess and rich texture.
THE INGREDIENTS YOU WILL NEED FOR THIS RECIPE
- Penne pasta: this pasta works well for a baked casserole and rigatoni is another good choice
- Cottage cheese: I like to use 4% fat, it still creamy but light in texture
- Parmesan cheese
- Marinara sauce: whether you have your own on hand or my Homemade Marinara Sauce recipe or store-bought can be used
- Mozzarella cheese
- Pesto: is something I have on hand, however, other options are my Homemade Pesto or store-bought works too
- Parsley: for garnishing
- Seasonings: sea salt and pepper
HOW TO MAKE THIS DELICIOUS RECIPE
To make an easy Homemade Marinara Sauce, you will need to start this about an hour ahead. Set aside once the sauce has thickened.
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, add salt and pasta. Follow the cooking instructions on the package. Cook just under al dente since it will cook in the oven. Give it a quick rinse and set aside to drain. Heat oven to 350°F. Brush with olive oil a 9 x 6 inch or (8 x 8 inch) baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, and pesto. Set aside.
To begin layering: add a couple of spoons of marinara sauce on the bottom, then half of cooked pasta into the prepared baking dish and spread half of the tomato sauce over the pasta. Spread the cottage cheese mixture evenly over the sauce. Sprinkle half the mozzarella cheese. Cover with the remaining pasta and the remaining tomato sauce. Top with mozzarella cheese.
Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until it bubbles. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley.
When you take it out of the oven, it should be bubbling and the cheese is melted and toasted. Allow to rest for a few minutes before serving. Casserole meals are the best to have on hand when you have a family to feed. They can be made ahead and placed in the freezer for future meals.
STORING: if you happen to have leftovers, store in the refrigerator with a lid for up to 3 days.
A great dish to add a salad as a side or garlic bread. A great Cesaer Salad or Garden Salad would accompany this dish perfectly. Check out my salad recipes. Would love to hear your comments.
FQA
Can I replace cottage cheese with ricotta cheese for this recipe? Yes you can and ricotta will be a richer, smoother and tends to be a little sweeter in taste.
I noticed the baking dish is smaller is size, can I use a 9 x 13 inch baking dish? If you use a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, you will need to double the recipe. The amount of ingredients works for 8 x 8 inch baking dish as well.
Baked Penne with Marinara Sauce
Equipment
- 9 x 6 inch (23cm x 15cm) baking dish (optional 8 x 8 inch)
Ingredients
- 8 oz penne pasta
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup 4% cottage cheese
- 2 tbsp homemade pesto (option: store-bought)
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- 11/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
- 2 tbsp parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- If you make homemade marinara sauce, you will need to start this about an hour ahead. Set aside once the sauce has thickened.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, add salt and pasta. Follow the cooking instructions on the package. Cook just under al dente since it will cook in the oven. Give it a quick rinse and set aside to drain.
- Heat oven to 350°F. Brush with olive oil a 9 x 6 inch or (8 x 8 inch) baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, combine cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, and pesto. Set aside.
- To begin layering: add a couple of spoons of marinara sauce on the bottom, then half of cooked pasta into the prepared baking dish and spread half of the tomato sauce over the pasta. Spread the cottage cheese mixture evenly over the sauce. Sprinkle half the mozzarella cheese. Cover with the remaining pasta and the remaining tomato sauce. Top with mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until it bubbles. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley.
