Dump dry penne in the glass dish and 4 other ingredients to get a meal so delicious your family will be begging for more!

This 5-ingredient oven penne is the kind of weeknight recipe I lean on when the day has gotten away from me but I still want a real, home-cooked meal. You literally dump dry penne into a glass baking dish, add four pantry-friendly ingredients, and let the oven do the work. No boiling water, no separate saucepan. It’s a very American-style baked pasta—think of it as a simplified cousin of Italian pasta al forno, streamlined for busy home cooks who still care about flavor.

Serve this oven penne straight from the glass baking dish with a simple green salad—mixed greens or romaine with a bright vinaigrette—to balance the richness of the cheese and sauce. Warm garlic bread or a crusty baguette is perfect for scooping up the saucy edges. A light red wine like Chianti or a medium-bodied zinfandel works nicely for adults, while sparkling water with lemon or a basic iced tea keeps things family-friendly. If you want to round it out further, add a side of steamed or roasted vegetables such as broccoli, green beans, or zucchini.

Servings: 6

12 ounces dry penne pasta

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place a 9x13-inch glass casserole dish on the counter; no need to grease it.

Dump the dry penne pasta evenly into the bottom of the 9x13 glass dish, spreading it into an even layer so it cooks uniformly. This is your base layer, and it should look like a close-up of uncooked pasta filling the dish.

In a large bowl or measuring pitcher, whisk together the jarred marinara sauce and the water until well combined. This extra liquid is what allows the dry penne to cook through in the oven without pre-boiling.

Pour the sauce-and-water mixture evenly over the dry penne in the glass dish, making sure all the pasta is submerged or at least moistened. Use the back of a spoon to gently press down any pasta that’s sticking up above the liquid.

Cover the glass dish tightly with aluminum foil, crimping the edges so steam cannot easily escape. This trapped steam is what cooks the pasta through.

Bake the covered dish in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until the pasta is just tender when you carefully taste a piece from the center. Remove the foil carefully, opening it away from your face to avoid steam burns.

Once the pasta is tender, sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the top, followed by the grated Parmesan. Try to cover the surface so you get a nice, even cheesy crust.

Return the uncovered dish to the oven and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden in spots.

Remove the dish from the oven and let the pasta rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. This short rest helps the sauce thicken slightly and makes it easier to scoop neat portions.

Taste and, if you like, finish with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper at the table. Serve warm directly from the glass dish.

You can customize this basic 5-ingredient oven penne in several ways while keeping the method the same. For added protein, stir 1 to 2 cups of cooked Italian sausage, rotisserie chicken, or cooked ground beef into the dish right after you pour in the sauce-and-water mixture. If you’d like more vegetables, scatter a cup of thawed frozen spinach (squeezed dry), peas, or small broccoli florets over the pasta before adding the liquid; just keep the total volume similar so the pasta still cooks evenly. To change the flavor profile, try using a spicy arrabbiata sauce instead of plain marinara, or swap half of the mozzarella for provolone or fontina for a deeper, more complex cheese flavor. If your family prefers a creamier texture, replace 1/2 cup of the water with heavy cream or half-and-half. For a little crunch, add a handful of seasoned breadcrumbs mixed with a drizzle of olive oil over the cheese before the final bake. Food safety tips: Always handle the hot glass dish with dry oven mitts and set it on a trivet or dry towel to avoid thermal shock, especially if your countertop is very cold. When removing the foil, open it away from your face and hands to prevent steam burns. Leftovers should be cooled slightly at room temperature (no more than 1 to 2 hours), then covered and refrigerated promptly; reheat thoroughly until steaming hot before serving again. If you add meat, be sure it is fully cooked before mixing into the pasta, as this recipe does not bake long enough to safely cook raw meat from scratch.