Creamy Italian Beef & Parmesan Baked Penne

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🇮🇹✨ Creamy Italian Beef & Parmesan Baked Penne

Servings: 4–6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: ~1 hour

⭐ Ingredients

Pasta & Meat Sauce

  • 300 g penne rigate
  • 40 g butter
  • A bunch of spring onions, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 600 g minced beef
  • 300 g chopped canned tomatoes (with their juice)
  • Salt & black pepper, to taste

Béchamel Sauce

  • 40 g butter
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 500 ml milk
  • Salt & pepper, to taste

Cheeses

  • 150 g Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 150 g mozzarella cheese, grated

🥣 Instructions

1. Cook the pasta

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  • Cook the penne until just al dente (1–2 minutes less than package instructions).
  • Drain and set aside.

🍅 2. Make the beef and tomato sauce

  1. In a large pan, melt 40 g butter over medium heat.
  2. Add the spring onions and chopped onion.
    Cook until softened, 3–4 minutes.
  3. Add the garlic, cook 30 seconds.
  4. Add the minced beef.
    • Cook until browned, breaking it into small pieces.
  5. Season with salt and black pepper.
  6. Add the canned tomatoes with their juice.
  7. Simmer 10–12 minutes until thickened.
    Taste and adjust salt/pepper.

Set aside while you prepare the béchamel.

🥛 3. Make the béchamel sauce

  1. In a saucepan, melt 40 g butter over medium heat.
  2. Add 2 tablespoons flour and whisk continuously for 1 minute.
  3. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly so it stays smooth.
  4. Continue cooking 5–7 minutes until the sauce thickens.
  5. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

The sauce should be creamy and coat the back of a spoon.

🧀 4. Combine everything

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F.
  • In a large bowl (or directly in your pasta pot), combine:
    • Cooked penne
    • Beef-tomato sauce
    • Half of the béchamel sauce
    • Half of the Parmesan

Mix well so every piece of pasta is coated.

🔥 5. Assemble the bake

In a baking dish (approximately 9×13 in / 20×30 cm):

  1. Spread a thin layer of béchamel on the bottom.
  2. Add the pasta mixture.
  3. Pour the remaining béchamel over the top.
  4. Sprinkle evenly with:
    • The remaining Parmesan
    • All the mozzarella

🍽️ 6. Bake

  • Bake 20–25 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbling.
  • Let rest 5–10 minutes before serving so it sets.

🌿 Optional Add-Ins (Italian-approved!)

  • A pinch of nutmeg in the béchamel
  • Fresh basil or parsley stirred into the sauce
  • Chili flakes for heat
  • A splash of red wine added during beef browning

🍝 Serve With

  • A simple green salad with lemon or balsamic
  • Crusty bread
  • A glass of red wine (your Italian friend would approve)

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