Pasta Bake Recipe
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
45 mins
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Total Time
1 hr
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Servings
8 people
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Calories
523 kcal
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Course
Main Course
Pasta Bake Recipe
Description
The Pasta Bake recipe centers on cooking tubular pasta varieties such as ziti, penne, or rigatoni until just under al dente. The meat sauce is prepared by cooking ground beef with diced onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning before simmering with marinara sauce. The cheeses—ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, and an egg—are combined into a creamy mixture that adds richness and binding to the dish.
Assemblage involves mixing the pasta with most of the meat sauce, then layering with dollops of the ricotta blend and the rest of the sauce in a baking dish. It’s covered and baked to meld flavors. Additional mozzarella sprinkled on top before a final bake creates a bubbly, golden cheese crust. This layered preparation provides a balance of tender pasta, flavorful meat sauce, and creamy cheesy textures.
The pasta bake is suitable for serving as a main course and is forgiving on timing due to the generous sauce amount. It is recommended to prepare the sauce with various types of ground meat for flavor variation and to use fresh, shredded cheeses for optimal texture. This dish also supports make-ahead cooking and freezing, with guidelines for extended baking times when refrigerated or frozen.
Choosing ridged pasta varieties like rigatoni helps hold more sauce, enhancing every bite. Using good quality marinara or homemade sauce impacts the dish's overall flavor. The instructions note the importance of precise pasta cooking time to avoid mushiness, and the layering technique to keep the bake moist and cohesive.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. pasta ziti, penne, or rigatoni
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese finely grated
- 1 egg whisked
- 2 ½ cups mozzarella cheese separated
- 1 lb. ground beef see notes
- 1 yellow onion diced, small
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 marinara sauce I recommend Rao's brand or homemade, 24 oz. jar
- parsley to garnish, fresh
Instructions
- Note: This recipe uses a lot of sauce, but the pasta absorbs a lot of it when it bakes. We don’t want dry pasta.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Combine the Ricotta, Parmesan, egg, and 1 cup (not all) mozzarella cheese and set aside.
- Begin boiling the pasta water while you cook the meat for the sauce. Cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than al dente, then drain. (Be sure to time it exactly so that you don’t end up with mushy pasta.)
- Cook and crumble the ground beef and diced onions over medium-high heat. Drain grease. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, salt/pepper, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add the marinara sauce. Stir to combine and heat through. Remove from heat.
- Combine the drained pasta with about ¾ of the sauce mixture and transfer it to a lightly greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Add dollops of the ricotta mixture over the top, then the rest of the meat sauce.
- Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove and top with remaining 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese. Increase oven temp to 400 and bake uncovered for 10-15 more minutes, until the top begins to bubble and brown.
- Garnish with parsley and serve with garlic bread with cheese.
Notes
- Use plenty of sauce as the pasta absorbs a lot during baking; reduce if desired, but don’t skimp.
- Choose tubular pasta with ridges, like rigatoni, for better sauce adhesion.
- Ground beef can be substituted or combined with pork, veal, or sausage for flavor variation.
- Freshly shred mozzarella and Parmesan for creamier, more flavorful cheese layers.
- Make-ahead tips: assemble and refrigerate up to 2 days; increase covered baking by 10 minutes before finishing uncovered.
- You may freeze the assembled casserole; thaw in the fridge 24 hours before baking.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 523 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 523kcal | 26% |
| Carbohydrates | 53g | 18% |
| Protein | 36g | 72% |
| Fat | 19g | 29% |
| Saturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 149mg | 50% |
| Sodium | 1391mg | 58% |
| Potassium | 995mg | 21% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 9g | 18% |
| Vitamin A | 1209IU | 24% |
| Vitamin C | 13mg | 14% |
| Calcium | 334mg | 33% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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