Garden Fresh Zesty Italian Penne Bake
This delightful Garden Fresh Zesty Italian Penne Bake is the perfect summer dish, bursting with vibrant flavors from the freshest ingredients straight from the garden. Leveraging ripe, sweet red peppers, crunchy onions, and tender baby zucchini, this recipe is a great way to utilize garden harvests while delighting your guests with minimal effort. With a scrumptious blend of seasoned breakfast sausage and rich, savory marinara sauce, it creates layers of flavor that meld beautifully during the baking process. Easy to assemble and perfect for feeding a crowd, serve this pasta bake alongside a fresh garden salad and crusty bread for a satisfying and wholesome meal that everyone will love!
6-8 servings
Servings
275
Calories
13
Ingredients
Ingredients
Jimmy Dean sausage
1 package (removed from casing)
Onion
1 medium (coarsely chopped)
Sweet red pepper
1 small (coarsely chopped)
Garlic
2 cloves (minced)
Extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon (for sautéing)
Hot crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon (for added heat)
Dried basil
2 teaspoons (for seasoning)
Tomato sauce
1 can (14.5 ounces)
Zucchini
1 small (unpeeled, sliced very thin)
Salt and black pepper
to taste
Penne pasta
1/2 box
Shredded colby-monterey jack cheese
1 package (8 ounces) (for topping)
Butter
1 tablespoon (to grease the casserole dish)
Instructions
1
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2
Cook the penne pasta according to package instructions until al dente, then drain and set aside in a large bowl without rinsing.
3
In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the extra virgin olive oil, chopped onion, sweet red peppers, hot crushed red pepper flakes, and minced garlic. Sauté on low heat until the vegetables are softened but not browned, about 5-7 minutes.
4
Transfer the sautéed vegetables to a small bowl and set aside.
5
In the same sauté pan, add the breakfast sausage. Cook until browned and cooked through, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks.
6
Once the sausage is cooked, drain excess fat if not using Jimmy Dean sausage. Return the vegetable mixture back to the pan with the sausage.
7
Stir in the canned tomato sauce and dried basil, and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
8
Grease a 2-quart casserole dish with butter. Start layering by adding half of the cooked penne pasta at the bottom of the dish. Next, layer half of the meat and sauce mixture over the pasta.
9
Add half of the sliced zucchini, followed by half of the shredded colby-monterey jack cheese. Repeat these layers one more time, finishing with the remaining cheese on top.
10
Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and bubbly.
11
Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, then serve warm with a fresh garden salad and crusty rolls.
Nutrition Information
12.8g
Fat
27.5g
Carbs
10g
Protein
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Garden Fresh Zesty Italian Penne Bake?
It is a summer-inspired pasta casserole featuring fresh garden vegetables like zucchini and peppers combined with breakfast sausage and marinara sauce.
How many servings does this recipe provide?
This recipe makes approximately 6 to 8 servings.
What are the primary ingredients in this dish?
The main ingredients include Jimmy Dean sausage, penne pasta, tomato sauce, zucchini, onion, sweet red pepper, and colby-monterey jack cheese.
What type of sausage is recommended?
The recipe specifically recommends one package of Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage with the casing removed.
What kind of cheese is used for the topping?
An 8-ounce package of shredded colby-monterey jack cheese is used for the layers and the topping.
What is the recommended oven temperature?
The oven should be preheated to 350°F (175°C).
How long does the penne bake need to stay in the oven?
The dish bakes for a total of 40 minutes: 30 minutes covered with foil and an additional 10 minutes uncovered.
How do I prepare the zucchini for this recipe?
The zucchini should be kept unpeeled and sliced very thin.
Does this dish have a spicy kick?
Yes, the recipe includes one teaspoon of hot crushed red pepper flakes for added heat.
What is the calorie count per serving?
Each serving contains approximately 275 calories.
What is the fat content per serving?
Each serving contains 12.8g of fat.
How many carbohydrates are in a serving?
There are 27.5g of carbohydrates per serving.
What is the protein content for this dish?
Each serving provides 10g of protein.
How should I cook the penne pasta?
Cook the penne according to the package instructions until al dente, then drain it without rinsing.
What size casserole dish is required?
A 2-quart casserole dish is needed for this recipe.
How should I grease the casserole dish?
Grease the dish using one tablespoon of butter.
What vegetables are sautéed before baking?
Chopped onion and sweet red peppers are sautéed with garlic and red pepper flakes.
How long should the vegetables be sautéed?
Sauté the vegetables on low heat for about 5 to 7 minutes until softened but not browned.
How long should the sauce simmer?
After bringing the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
What type of oil is used for sautéing the vegetables?
One tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil is used.
How are the layers of the casserole assembled?
Layer half of the pasta, followed by half of the meat sauce, half of the zucchini, and half of the cheese, then repeat.
What should I serve with this penne bake?
It is best served warm with a fresh garden salad and crusty rolls or bread.
Is the zucchini cooked before being layered?
No, the thinly sliced zucchini is layered raw and cooks during the baking process.
Can I use dried herbs in this recipe?
Yes, the recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of dried basil for seasoning the sauce.
How much tomato sauce is needed?
One 14.5-ounce can of tomato sauce is required.
How much penne pasta is used?
The recipe uses 1/2 of a standard box of penne pasta.
Should the sausage be drained?
If you are not using Jimmy Dean sausage, you should drain the excess fat after browning the meat.
How many garlic cloves are needed?
The recipe calls for 2 minced garlic cloves.
How many ingredients are in this recipe?
There are 13 total ingredients listed for this dish.
When do I remove the aluminum foil during baking?
Remove the foil after the first 30 minutes of baking to allow the cheese to brown and bubble for the final 10 minutes.