Baked Pasta With Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Ricotta Cheese

spatchcock's Note:

I love this recipe for busy nights, or at the end of a stressful day when we want easy comfort food. This is easy, but not cheap-tasting and is healthy. I use whole-wheat penne for the pasta, so I usually use a bit more tomato juice since whole-wheat pasta tends to need more liquid.

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomato, drained and chopped
• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 8 ounces penne pasta
• 8 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

1. In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion and sauté for 4 minutes or until starting to brown.
3. Add garlic and sun-dried tomatoes; sauté 3 more minutes.
4. Add tomatoes, paprika, salt and pepper.
5. Stir well, reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
7. Cook pasta for 7 minutes or until tender and still a bit firm.
8. Drain and toss with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.
9. Preheat oven to 350°F.
10. In a large bowl combine ricotta, pasta and sauce; mix gently to combine.
11. Pour into a medium-sized baking dish and top with Parmesan cheese.
12. Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.
13. Serve garnished with chopped parsley and additional Parmesan cheese.

Reviews

[CanadianEmily]

I wouldn't say it's super fast, but it is easy and tastes good. I didn't have parmesan (oops) so I used an Italian breadcrumb & parmesan mix for the topping. I split it into two smaller casseroles - one for the freezer and one for dinner, each serves two. Next time I'll have to try adding kalamata olives, that sounds good!

[Chef #791440]

I really like the taste considering the simple prep. I agree with the author...low cost, healthy, and pretty quick. Thanks...

[Chef #435748]

This was a great and simple family meal. Even my picky 4 y.o. loved it. I did add a little more sun dried tomatoes than the recipe calls for because I love them and used Italian-flavored diced tomatoes WITH all the juice. I also sliced up some kalamata olives I had on hand and mixed in some extra parmesan with the ricotta. This will definitely become a regular dish in our house.