Hearty Tomato-Olive Penne

Total Time

Prep: 50 min. Bake: 25 min.

Makes

8 servings

Updated: Sep. 13, 2023
Who needs meat when you have a pasta dish loaded with tomatoes, olives and Havarti cheese? I often assemble it in advance and bake it the next day, adding a few minutes to the cooking time. —Jacqueline Frank, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Hearty Tomato-Olive Penne Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 2 large onions, chopped
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 pounds plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped (about 10 tomatoes)
  • 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 package (16 ounces) uncooked penne pasta
  • 1 block (24 ounces) Havarti cheese, cut into 1/2-in. cubes
  • 1 cup pitted Greek olives
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, saute onions in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in tomatoes, broth, basil, pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 25-30 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.
  2. Meanwhile, cook penne according to package directions; drain.
  3. Preheat oven to 375°. Stir Havarti cheese, olives and cooked penne into the sauce. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
  4. Cover and bake 20 minutes. Uncover; bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Nutrition Facts

1-1/2 cups: 719 calories, 43g fat (19g saturated fat), 83mg cholesterol, 1082mg sodium, 56g carbohydrate (10g sugars, 5g fiber), 31g protein.