There are some nights where I just don’t want to cook, mainly because I don’t want to clean up after I cook — so many dishes!
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On such nights, I reach for a one-pot meal. This Cheesy Pasta Bake from this month’s Cooking Light is all made in one pot and has dinner on the table in 30 minutes. I doubled the recipe so that it would work for a normal sized box of pasta (16 oz), so now I have lunch for the week too!
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Ingredients (serves 8):
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 12 ounces 90% lean ground beef
- 1 1/2Â teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 1/2Â cups unsalted chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 (14.5 oz can)Â unsalted crushed tomatoes
- 16 ounces uncooked penne pasta
- 1 (28 oz) can tomato puree
- 10 ounces fresh baby spinach
- 8 ounces preshredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
Preheat your broiler to high. Add the olive oil to a large ovenproof saute pan over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and cook for 2 minutes.
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Add the beef and oregano. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring to crumble the beef.
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Add in the chicken stock, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, crushed tomatoes tomatoes and pasta.
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Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
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Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 12 to 13 minutes or until the pasta is cooked. Stir in the tomato puree and spinach.
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Sprinkle the mozzarella over the pasta mixture.
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Add the pan to the oven and broil for 2 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.
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So easy right?
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 12 ounces 90% lean ground beef
- 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 1/2 cups unsalted chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 (14.5 oz can) unsalted crushed tomatoes
- 16 ounces uncooked penne pasta
- 1 (28 oz) can tomato puree
- 10 ounces fresh baby spinach
- 8 ounces preshredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
Instructions
- Preheat your broiler to high. Add the olive oil to a large ovenproof saute pan over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the beef and oregano. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring to crumble the beef.
- Add in the chicken stock, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, crushed tomatoes tomatoes and pasta.
- Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
- Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 12 to 13 minutes or until the pasta is cooked. Stir in the tomato puree and spinach.
- Sprinkle the mozzarella over the pasta mixture.
- Add the pan to the oven and broil for 2 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.

Yum, great meal to serve the family!
Mary @ LOVE the secret ingredient recently posted..A Wedding in Tuscany