Mostaccioli

Christmas Eve 2022. Roy at the table for the first Christmas. Five adults plus Brayden. The recipe was mostaccioli — the Italian-American baked penne in marinara with Italian sausage and three cheeses, baked.

The recipe is below.

Mostaccioli

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 lb mostaccioli pasta (or penne)
• 1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jar (24 oz) marinara or pasta sauce
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat & prep. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
2. Cook the pasta. Boil the mostaccioli in salted water according to package directions until just al dente, about 8–9 minutes. Drain and set aside — do not overcook, as it will continue to bake in the oven.
3. Brown the meat. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef (or sausage) with the diced onion until the meat is no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat. Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute more.
4. Build the sauce. Stir in the marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, so the flavors come together.
5. Combine. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and stir well to coat every piece in sauce. Fold in 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella.
6. Assemble. Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Top evenly with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and all of the Parmesan.
7. Bake. Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden at the edges.
8. Rest & serve. Let the mostaccioli rest for 5 minutes before serving. Leftovers keep refrigerated for up to 4 days and reheat well, covered, at 350°F for 15 minutes or in the microwave.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 420 | Protein: 26g | Fat: 15g | Carbs: 45g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 680mg