Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly coat a standard 9×13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set it aside.

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Drop in the penne pasta and cook it for exactly 2 minutes less than the package directions for al dente. The noodles must remain quite firm because they will continue to absorb liquid and finish cooking inside the oven. Drain the pasta and set it aside.

While the pasta water heats, place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, breaking the meat up with a firm wooden spoon, until it is completely browned and no pink remains. Drain away any excess pooling grease from the pan.

Reduce the skillet heat to low. Pour the entire jar of marinara sauce directly over the browned beef, add the Italian seasoning, and stir thoroughly. Let the meat sauce baseline simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes so the spices infuse.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the whole-milk ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, and exactly 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Season with a tiny pinch of salt and black pepper, and stir firmly with a spoon until the cheeses form a thick, uniform dairy matrix.

Add the drained penne noodles directly into the bowl with your cheese matrix. Toss gently with a spatula until the pasta is coated, then pour in the warm meat sauce baseline and fold everything together until fully integrated.

Transfer the entire pasta and sauce mixture straight into the prepared 9×13-inch baking dish, using your spatula to spread it into a flat, even layer.

Scatter the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese uniformly across the entire surface of the pasta bake.

Place the dish uncovered on the middle oven rack and bake at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes. The casserole is finished the exact moment the sauce is bubbling fiercely around the inner edges of the pan and the top mozzarella layer is entirely melted and dotted with golden-brown spots.

Remove the baking dish from the oven and let it stand flat on a cooling rack for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. This brief resting window allows the starch and cheese structures to tighten up slightly so the casserole portions out beautifully. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired and serve hot.