Description
This hearty Pasta Bake recipe features tender pasta combined with a rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta mixture, and melted mozzarella cheese, baked to bubbly perfection. Perfect for a comforting family meal, this dish balances savory flavors with a cheesy, satisfying texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Cheese Mixture
- 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
Meat Sauce
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 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 (24 oz.) jars marinara sauce (recommended Rao's or homemade)
Garnish
- Fresh parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the pasta dish.
- Prepare Cheese Mixture: In a bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, the whisked egg, and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Set this mixture aside for layering later.
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than al dente (about 8-9 minutes depending on pasta type). Drain well to avoid mushy texture after baking.
- Cook Meat Sauce: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the ground beef with diced onions until browned. Drain excess grease. Add minced garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Sauté for 1 minute to blend flavors.
- Add Sauce: Pour in the marinara sauce, stir well, and heat through. Remove from heat once warm and combined.
- Assemble Pasta Bake: Toss the drained pasta with about ¾ of the meat sauce. Transfer this mixture into a lightly greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Dollop spoonfuls of the ricotta cheese mixture evenly over the pasta, then spread the remaining meat sauce on top.
- Initial Bake: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes to heat through and let flavors meld.
- Add Cheese and Final Bake: Remove the foil, sprinkle the remaining 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese over the top. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from the oven, garnish with fresh parsley. Serve warm, ideally with garlic bread topped with cheese.
Notes
- This recipe uses a generous amount of marinara sauce to ensure the pasta remains moist after baking.
- Use tubular pasta with ridges like rigatoni for best sauce adherence.
- You can substitute the ground beef with other ground meats such as pork, veal, or Italian sausage for different flavors.
- Using freshly grated cheeses from blocks enhances creaminess and flavor compared to pre-shredded packaged cheese.
- For make-ahead convenience, assemble the dish and refrigerate up to 2 days before baking, adding 10 minutes to the baking time.
- Freezing the assembled casserole is possible; thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
