A bubbling, creamy tomato-baked pasta studded with crisp bacon and triple cheeses—sharp cheddar, gooey mozzarella and Parmesan—finished with a silky smear of cream cheese and a golden top.
Golden Southern Penne: Three-Cheese Tomato Bake
A one-skillet, weeknight-friendly bake that balances smoky bacon, tangy tomato, and three melting cheeses into a bubbly, golden-topped pasta everyone will dive into.
This is the kind of casserole that answers a very specific craving: something saucy and cheesy that still feels homey, not fussy. Penne holds up under a rich tomato-cream sauce studded with crisp bacon, then gets the royal treatment under a blanket of sharp cheddar, gooey mozzarella and salty Parmesan until the edges brown and the cheese stretches on every scoop.
The magic is in the building blocks: cook the pasta just shy of al dente and save a cup of pasta water so the sauce clings, use a bit of bacon fat (or olive oil) to caramelize sweet onions and garlic, and boost the tomato base with tomato paste and a whisper of smoked paprika for warmth. A silky smear of cream cheese folded into the sauce keeps everything luscious and prevents the bake from drying out in the oven.
If you like ease, this is an ideal one-pan finish—start the sauce and crisp the bacon right in an ovenproof skillet, toss with pasta, layer the cheeses, and bake until bubbling and golden. It feeds four comfortably and behaves well the next day: leftovers reheat beautifully on the stovetop or under a broiler for a revived crispy top. For make-ahead, assemble cold and add a few extra minutes to the bake time.
Serve with a crisp green salad or something pickled to cut the richness; a sprinkle of extra Parmesan or a pinch more smoked paprika at the end livens the flavors. The payoff is simple and joyful: creamy, tomato-scented pasta threaded with mozzarella strings and bright, smoky bites of bacon in every forkful.
Ingredients
How to Make Southern-Style Three Cheese Tomato Bake Pasta
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add 1 tsp salt from the ingredient list.
- Cook the penne 2 minutes shy of package al dente (about 7–8 minutes), reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, cook the bacon in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat until crisp, 6–8 minutes; transfer to paper towels, then chop once cool. Leave about 1 tbsp of bacon fat in the pan (or wipe and add olive oil if preferred).
- Add olive oil to the skillet if needed and sauté the onion (finely diced) over medium heat until soft, 5–6 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to deepen flavor, then add crushed tomatoes, smoked paprika, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook 8–10 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly.
- Lower heat and whisk in heavy cream and cream cheese in small pieces until the sauce is smooth and glossy; thin with up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water if it seems too thick.
- Remove the skillet from heat, stir in the drained pasta, chopped bacon, half the cheddar, half the mozzarella, and the Parmesan until evenly combined.
- Spread the pasta-sauce mixture into an 8x8-inch or similar ovenproof baking dish (or keep in the ovenproof skillet) and sprinkle the remaining cheddar and mozzarella evenly over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes until bubbling and cheese is melted; place under the broiler 1–2 minutes if you want a golden-brown top (watch closely).
- Let the bake rest 5 minutes, garnish with chopped fresh parsley and an extra grind of black pepper, then serve hot.
Recipe Card
Southern-Style Three Cheese Tomato Bake Pasta
A bubbling, creamy tomato-baked pasta studded with crisp bacon and triple cheeses—sharp cheddar, gooey mozzarella and Parmesan—finished with a silky smear of cream cheese and a golden top.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add 1 tsp salt from the ingredient list.
- Cook the penne 2 minutes shy of package al dente (about 7–8 minutes), reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, cook the bacon in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat until crisp, 6–8 minutes; transfer to paper towels, then chop once cool. Leave about 1 tbsp of bacon fat in the pan (or wipe and add olive oil if preferred).
- Add olive oil to the skillet if needed and sauté the onion (finely diced) over medium heat until soft, 5–6 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to deepen flavor, then add crushed tomatoes, smoked paprika, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook 8–10 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly.
- Lower heat and whisk in heavy cream and cream cheese in small pieces until the sauce is smooth and glossy; thin with up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water if it seems too thick.
- Remove the skillet from heat, stir in the drained pasta, chopped bacon, half the cheddar, half the mozzarella, and the Parmesan until evenly combined.
- Spread the pasta-sauce mixture into an 8x8-inch or similar ovenproof baking dish (or keep in the ovenproof skillet) and sprinkle the remaining cheddar and mozzarella evenly over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes until bubbling and cheese is melted; place under the broiler 1–2 minutes if you want a golden-brown top (watch closely).
- Let the bake rest 5 minutes, garnish with chopped fresh parsley and an extra grind of black pepper, then serve hot.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 70
- Saturated Fat
- 25
- Sodium
- 1500
- Fiber
- 4
- Unsaturated Fat
- 21
- Protein
- 33
- Fat
- 46
- Cholesterol
- 95
- Trans Fat
- 0.5
- Calories
- 860
- Sugar
- 8