Baked pasta | Dinner ideas

Baked pasta that you can easily whip up for your family dinner, my go to recipe I make every week. Quick video, stepwise photos.

📝 Ingredients

• 1.25 cup Penne pasta
• 6 cups water
• Salt
• 1 tbsp butter/ Olive oil
• 2 cups Spinach (I used baby spinach)
• 1/2 tsp Garlic powder (or 1 tsp chopped garlic)
• 1/2 tsp Smoked paprika (or Cayenne pepper/ chilli flakes)
• 1/2 tsp Italian herb (like dried oregano)
• 1/4 cup Cream cheese
• 3/4 cup Pasta sauce (I used one with basil)
• 1 cup Grated Mozzarella cheese (plus more if needed)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Bring 6 cups water to boil and cook pasta as per directions given in the package.
2. 2Once al dente, keep aside. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta cooked water in case you need later.
3. 3Clean and chop spinach roughly.
4. 4In a heavy bottomed pan, heat butter or olive oil.
5. 5Tip in the chopped spinach. Sprinkle sugar and saute 2 mins in medium heat.
6. 6Pour pasta sauce, 2 tbsp of reserved pasta cooked water, paprika, cream cheese, garlic powder, cooked pasta and little salt if needed.
7. 7Mix well and cook for a minute. Switch off the flame.
8. 8Preheat oven at 200 deg C for (10-12 mins)
9. 9Transfer the cooked pasta to a baking dish, I usually use one oval and one small round dish.
10. 10Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top to cover the pasta.
11. 11Bake for 12-14 mins or until the cheese turns golden.
12. 12Sprinkle some Italian herb, chilli flakes to serve.