Name: Creamy Pasta Bake with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 3 (6 ounce) cans tomato sauce; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 0.75 cup heavy whipping cream; 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1 pinch white sugar; salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved; 1.25 cups shredded mozzarella cheese; 1 small bunch fresh basil, finely chopped

Creamy Pasta Bake with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil

Creamy Pasta Bake with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil cover

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Creamy Pasta Bake with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil

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Ingredients

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Instructions

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Instructions

Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a baking dish.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking water.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook onion in oil until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.

Stir in tomato sauce and tomato paste and cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

Add cream and Parmesan cheese. Season with sugar, salt, and pepper.

Stir some of the reserved pasta water into sauce and add cooked penne.

Remove from the heat and stir in cherry tomatoes, 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese, and basil. Add more pasta water if needed to reach desired consistency.

Pour penne mixture into the prepared baking dish and cover with remaining mozzarella cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly and cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Cherry Tomato Technique 🍅
Halve cherry tomatoes and sprinkle with a pinch of sugar to enhance their natural sweetness and balance acidity before adding to the pasta bake.
Pasta Water Magic 💦
Reserve a cup of pasta cooking water before draining to help create a silkier, more cohesive sauce if the mixture seems too dry during baking.
Cheese Layer Strategy 🧀
Mix half the mozzarella into the sauce and reserve the other half for topping to create a beautiful golden, crispy cheese crust when baked.
Garlic Infusion Hack 🧄
Sauté minced garlic and onions in olive oil until just fragrant, but not browned, to prevent bitterness and develop a sweeter, more complex flavor base.
Fresh Basil Finishing 🌿
Sprinkle freshly chopped basil over the pasta bake right after removing from the oven to preserve its bright, aromatic qualities and add a vibrant finishing touch.