Beef & Zucchini Baked Penne

🥘 Ingredients

• chicken stock concentrate
  6 unit
• chili flakes
  2 tsp
• cooking oil
  4 tsp
• garlic powder
  4 tsp
• ground beef
  40 oz
• italian seasoning
  4 tbsp
• marinara cup
  28 oz
• mozzarella cheese
  1 c
• penne pasta
  24 oz
• pepper
• ricotta cheese
  1 lb
• salt
• tomato paste
  2 unit
• zucchini
  2 unit

🍳 Cookware

• large pot
• strainer
• large pan
• baking dish

1. 

   1

   Adjust rack to middle position (top and middle positions for 8 servings) and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with salt . (TIP: Start with hot tap water for faster boiling.) Wash and dry produce. Trim and quarter zucchini lengthwise; slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick quarter-moons.

   salt, zucchini: 2 unit
2. 

   2

   Once water is boiling, add penne pasta to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, ⏱️ 9 minutes to ⏱️ 11 minutes . Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water (2 cups for 8 servings), then drain in a strainer . Keep empty pot handy for Step 4.

   penne pasta: 24 oz
3. 

   3

   While pasta cooks, heat a drizzle of cooking oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add ground beef , zucchini, italian seasoning , garlic powder , a big pinch of salt, and pepper . Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until zucchini is tender and beef is cooked through, ⏱️ 5 minutes to ⏱️ 7 minutes . (For 8 servings, work in batches, adding a drizzle of cooking oil between batches.) Remove pan from heat. TIP: If there is excess grease in your pan, carefully pour it out.

   cooking oil: 4 tsp, ground beef: 40 oz, italian seasoning: 4 tbsp, garlic powder: 4 tsp, pepper
4. 

   4

   Transfer beef mixture to pot used for pasta; add marinara cup , tomato paste , chicken stock concentrate , and 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water (1 cup for 8 servings). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, ⏱️ 2 minutes to ⏱️ 3 minutes . TIP: If sauce is too thick, stir in more reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time. Turn off heat; add drained penne to pot with sauce and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

   marinara cup: 28 oz, tomato paste: 2 unit, chicken stock concentrate: 6 unit
5. 

   5

   Transfer pasta to a lightly oiled 9-by-13-inch baking dish (use 2 lightly oiled 9-by-13-inch baking dishes for 8 servings). Carefully dollop ricotta cheese all over pasta and top with mozzarella cheese . Bake, uncovered, on middle rack until cheese is melted, ⏱️ 10 minutes to ⏱️ 12 minutes (for 8 servings, bake on top and middle racks, switching rack positions halfway through). Increase oven temperature to broil; bake until cheese is browned, ⏱️ 2 minutes to ⏱️ 3 minutes more. TIP: Watch carefully to avoid burning.

   ricotta cheese: 1 lb, mozzarella cheese: 1 c
6. 

   6

   Let baked penne cool for ⏱️ 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with as many chili flakes as you like. Serve family style. Ground beef is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.

   chili flakes: 2 tsp