Baked Creamy Red Pepper Penne Pasta Recipe

Baked pasta dishes are the cream of the crop when it comes to comfort food meals. The baking process allows the flavors to intensify, creating a more complex and harmonious profile and allows the cheesy goodness to get into every nook and cranny of the pasta. We're elevating the sauce with roasted red peppers to add a hint of smokiness and lots of extra flavor, and topping this dish with butter toasted breadcrumbs to add a subtle crunch.

Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "Baked pasta dishes are nice for several reasons, but my favorite is that you can prepare this ahead of time and bake it right before serving." This dish is great for entertaining, easily feeding a crowd with ease, though it's just as good for a family dinner when you have more time earlier in the day to get everything together.

To make this recipe, grab some red bell peppers from the produce aisle, then head to dairy aisle and get cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, and butter. "We are going to roast the peppers to blend with the sauce, but if you want to save a step, you can buy a jar of roasted red peppers," Hahn explains.

Then head to the dry goods area and pick up some marinara sauce, penne pasta, and panko breadcrumbs. Check your pantry for avocado oil, Italian seasoning, garlic granules, and salt.

Preheat oven to broil.

Brush the whole red peppers with avocado oil and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt.

Broil in the oven for 30 minutes using the top rack, rotating until each side has blackened.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Cook the pasta until al dente, then drain and set aside.

Remove the red peppers from the oven, cool for 10 minutes, then peel and discard skin, core, and seeds.

Reset the oven to 350 F.

Add the sauce and the roasted red peppers to a blender and blend until smooth.

Add this mixture and the Italian seasoning to a large pot over medium heat.

Add the cream cheese and Parmesan and stir well. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the pasta to the pot with the sauce and mix well.

Add the pasta mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish and top with mozzarella cheese.

Cover and bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.

Add the panko to the pan and add the remaining salt, garlic granules, and pepper.

Stir for about 5 minutes until the breadcrumbs become toasted and fragrant.

Remove the pasta from the oven and top with the toasted breadcrumbs.

Serve, optionally garnished with fresh basil.

If you want your pasta to have a few more vegetables you can incorporate mushrooms, spinach, or sun-dried tomatoes. "Before you add the sauce to the pot in step nine is a good time to saute up any additional vegetables you want to include," Hahn says. "Just add a little oil to the pot, and cook the vegetables until they are tender, then add the sauce and Italian seasoning."

Experiment with cheese varieties such as cheddar, fontina, or smoked Gouda to enrich the cheesy goodness. "You can swap out the cream cheese for ricotta cheese if you prefer for a similar effect," Hahn says.

If you want to make this recipe vegan, you can easily do that by swapping out the cream cheese, Parmesan, mozzarella, and butter for dairy-free versions. For a gluten-free recipe, use gluten-free breadcrumbs and pasta, both of which are readily available at most grocery stores.

Bread of some type is always a classic choice with pasta. You can try sliced baguette, garlic bread, or breadsticks to provide a satisfying accompaniment to the pasta. Serve classic tomato bruschetta on toasted bread as a flavorful appetizer. Another appetizer idea is an antipasto platter with an assortment of olives, cured meats, cheeses, and marinated vegetables for a variety of textures and flavors.

Balance the richness of the pasta with a big green salad dressed with a tangy lemon vinaigrette. Or go for a zesty Caesar salad or a chopped asparagus salad. Roasted vegetables, such as asparagus, broccoli, or brussels sprouts, offer a savory and slightly caramelized flavor, adding depth to the meal.

For dessert, serve a light and refreshing fruit salad, featuring a mix of seasonal fruits, providing a sweet contrast to the savory pasta. Or in keeping with the Italian theme, serve some spumoni ice cream which typically consists of three layers, chocolate, pistachio, and cherry.