Pizza night and pasta night just joined forces. Tender penne tossed in a rich, savory beef and tomato sauce, swirled with Bumbleberry Farms Hot Pepper Jam, then blanketed in melty mozzarella and crispy-edged pepperoni. Sweet heat meets cozy comfort in every bite. It’s a one-pan dinner that’s easy enough for a busy weeknight and crowd-pleasing enough for game day.
INGREDIENTS:
- 10 ounces penne or rigatoni
- 10 ounces (about ⅔ pound) ground beef
- 2 ounces sliced pepperoni
- 1 jar (14 ounces) passata or marinara sauce
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons Bumbleberry Farms Hot Pepper Jam Naturally Sweetened with Honey , divided
- 5 ounces (about 1¼ cups) shredded mozzarella cheese
STEPS:
We recommend using a cast-iron or oven safe skillet. If you don't have one, transfer contents to a baking dish before the layering step.
Preheat & prep the pasta: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Boil the pasta in well-salted water for 2 minutes less than the package directions. It will finish cooking in the oven. Drain and set aside.
Brown the meat: In an oven-safe skillet or deep pan over medium heat, cook the onion and garlic until soft and fragrant. Add the ground beef and cook until fully browned. Drain any excess fat.
Simmer the sauce: Pour the passata into the beef and stir in 2 tablespoons Bumbleberry Farms Hot Pepper Jam. Simmer on low for 5 minutes so the sweet heat melts into the tomato. Combine: Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss until every piece is coated in sauce.
Layer it up: Scatter the mozzarella evenly over the pasta, then top with the pepperoni slices. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon Hot Pepper Jam in the microwave for a few seconds until liquid-like and drizzle right over the pepperoni.
Bake: Bake for 10–15 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and golden and the pepperoni edges curl and crisp. Let rest for a couple of minutes before serving, ideally with a little extra jam on the side for anyone who likes it hotter.
NOTES: Want more heat? Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce, or finish with an extra drizzle of jam straight from the oven.
Meat swaps: Ground Italian sausage or ground turkey work beautifully in place of beef. No oven-safe skillet? Transfer everything to a greased baking dish after Step 4. Make ahead: Assemble through Step 5, cover, and refrigerate up to a day. Add 5–10 minutes to the bake time.