Easy Family Get Together Meals – One-Pan Crowd Pleaser

When relatives pile through the door and everyone asks what's for dinner, this one-pan baked pasta skillet is the answer. It is the kind of easy family get together meal that looks like you fussed for hours but comes together in a single skillet with pantry staples you probably already own.

The magic is in the layering: a garlicky tomato-beef sauce, tender penne, and a blanket of mozzarella and parmesan that turns golden and bubbling in the oven. Because you build it in one oven-safe pan, there is barely any cleanup, which matters when the kitchen is full of people.

It scales beautifully for a crowd, holds warm on the table, and tastes even better the next day. Serve it with garlic bread and a big green salad and dinner is handled.

About the Ingredients

12 oz (340g) penne or rigatoni pasta

Short tubes hold the sauce best and stay firm in the bake. Fusilli or ziti work just as well if that is what you have.

1 lb (450g) lean ground beef (85/15)

85/15 gives flavor without a greasy pan. Swap in ground turkey or Italian sausage for a different spin.

1 tbsp olive oil

Use regular, not extra-virgin, since it is going into a hot skillet. Avocado oil is a fine substitute.

1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)

Yellow onion melts into sweetness; a red onion will taste sharper. Frozen diced onion saves five minutes.

3 cloves garlic, minced

Fresh garlic is worth it here; jarred minced garlic works in a pinch but use one extra teaspoon.

24 oz (680g) jar marinara or tomato-basil pasta sauce

Pick a low-sugar brand you actually like the taste of since it drives the whole flavor. Crushed tomatoes with a pinch of sugar also work.

1 tsp dried Italian seasoning

A blend of oregano, basil, and thyme. If you only have oregano, use 3/4 teaspoon of that.

1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water

Kosher salt seasons more evenly than table salt. If using table salt, cut to 3/4 teaspoon.

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Freshly cracked makes a real difference. Pre-ground works but add a little extra.

2 cups (225g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella

Low-moisture melts without turning soupy. A mozzarella-provolone blend browns even more beautifully.

1/2 cup (50g) grated parmesan, divided

Grate it yourself from a block for the best melt; pre-shredded is fine but softer in flavor.

2 tbsp chopped fresh basil or parsley, for garnish

Basil is classic; parsley is more mild. Skip it if you have neither, the dish still shines.

Tips & Tricks

Cook pasta one minute shy of al dente

It finishes in the oven and absorbs sauce, so undercooking keeps it from going mushy.

Use an oven-safe skillet

A 12-inch cast-iron or stainless skillet goes straight from stovetop to oven. If yours is not oven-safe, transfer everything to a 9×13 baking dish.

Do not skip the broil finish

Two minutes under the broiler turns the cheese spotty and golden, which is the signature look of this dish.

Let it rest five minutes

Resting lets the sauce thicken so servings hold together instead of sliding apart.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat and boil pasta

Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil and cook the penne for 1 minute less than the package says, about 9 minutes, until just shy of al dente. Drain and set aside.

2. Brown the beef

In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it apart, until no pink remains and the crumbles are browned, about 160F (71C) internally.

3. Soften onion and garlic

Add the diced onion and cook for 4 minutes until translucent and soft. Stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook 30 seconds, just until fragrant but not browned.

4. Build the sauce

Pour in the marinara, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and the black pepper. Stir and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and bubbles gently at the edges.

5. Fold in pasta and cheese

Remove from heat and fold in the cooked penne and half the parmesan until every noodle is coated. Taste and adjust salt. Spread the mixture into an even layer in the skillet.

6. Top with cheese

Scatter the mozzarella evenly over the top, then sprinkle with the remaining parmesan. The cheese should cover the surface in one generous blanket.

7. Bake until bubbling

Bake at 400F (200C) for 18 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the sauce bubbles around the edges. For a golden top, broil 2 minutes more until spotty brown.

8. Rest and serve

Let the skillet rest 5 minutes so the sauce sets. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley, then scoop into bowls and serve warm with garlic bread.

Delicious Variations

Spicy Sausage Skillet

Swap the ground beef for hot Italian sausage and add 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes for a bold, spicy version.

Chicken Alfredo Bake

Replace the marinara with a 15-ounce jar of alfredo sauce and use shredded rotisserie chicken instead of beef.

Vegetarian Garden Bake

Omit the beef and add 2 cups of sauteed zucchini, mushrooms, and a can of drained chickpeas for a hearty meatless meal.

How to Store Easy Family Get Together Meals

Frequently Asked Questions

Grab your biggest oven-safe skillet, round up the family, and make this easy family get together meal this week. It is the kind of dinner that disappears fast, so be ready to share the recipe.

Easy Family Get Together Meals

Easy Family Get Together Meals makes feeding a crowd simple with one cheesy baked pasta skillet that is ready in under an hour and always a hit.

★★★★½ 4.8 (214 ratings)

15 minPrep time35 minCook time6Servings485 kcalCalories

Print RecipePin Recipe

🧂 Ingredients

• 12 oz (340g) penne or rigatoni pasta
• 1 lb (450g) lean ground beef (85/15)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 24 oz (680g) jar marinara or tomato-basil pasta sauce
• 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups (225g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella
• 1/2 cup (50g) grated parmesan, divided
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil or parsley, for garnish

📋 Instructions

1. 1Preheat and boil pasta — Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil and cook the penne for 1 minute less than the package says, about 9 minutes, until just shy of al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. 2Brown the beef — In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it apart, until no pink remains and the crumbles are browned, about 160F (71C) internally.
3. 3Soften onion and garlic — Add the diced onion and cook for 4 minutes until translucent and soft. Stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook 30 seconds, just until fragrant but not browned.
4. 4Build the sauce — Pour in the marinara, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and the black pepper. Stir and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and bubbles gently at the edges.
5. 5Fold in pasta and cheese — Remove from heat and fold in the cooked penne and half the parmesan until every noodle is coated. Taste and adjust salt. Spread the mixture into an even layer in the skillet.
6. 6Top with cheese — Scatter the mozzarella evenly over the top, then sprinkle with the remaining parmesan. The cheese should cover the surface in one generous blanket.
7. 7Bake until bubbling — Bake at 400F (200C) for 18 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the sauce bubbles around the edges. For a golden top, broil 2 minutes more until spotty brown.
8. 8Rest and serve — Let the skillet rest 5 minutes so the sauce sets. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley, then scoop into bowls and serve warm with garlic bread.

👨‍🍳 Chef's Note: If your skillet is not oven-safe, build the dish in the pan and transfer it to a 9×13 baking dish before the cheese goes on. The bake time stays the same.

Servings: 6

Cuisine: American-Italian

Course: Main Course

Nutrition (per serving): 485 kcal · 29g protein · 44g carbs · 21g fat