Marinara Sauce · Meat and Poultry · Tuscan Herb olive oil ·Mar 26, 2024

Meatball Pasta Bake

Name: Meatball Pasta Bake
Ingredients: 1 lb penne pasta; 1 small onion, chopped; 1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced; 2 tablespoons Fustini's Tuscan Herb olive oil; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 teaspoon fennel seeds; 1 16 oz marinara sauce; 1 (24 oz) can San Marzano tomatoes; 2 (14 oz) packages of frozen beef meatballs, thawed or make from scratch; 1 cup fresh orange juice; 3/4 cup chicken broth; 1 teaspoon orange zest; 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped; Kosher salt to taste; 1 cup torn fresh basil; 8 oz mozzarella slices; fresh basil leaves, garnish

Ingredients

1 lb penne pasta
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons Fustini's Tuscan Herb olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 16 oz marinara sauce
1 (24 oz) can San Marzano tomatoes
2 (14 oz) packages of frozen beef meatballs, thawed or make from scratch
1 cup fresh orange juice
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
Kosher salt to taste
1 cup torn fresh basil
8 oz mozzarella slices
fresh basil leaves, garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°,. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
Sauté, onion and fennel bulb in hot olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and fennel seeds, and sauté, 1 minute. Stir in marinara sauce, tomatoes, meatballs, orange juice, chicken broth, orange zest, red bell pepper and salt. Increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in basil, cooked pasta, and salt to taste.
Transfer to a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Place the dish on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Top with cheese. Bake at 350°, for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Meatball Pasta Bake