Can a person have too many pasta recipes? Possibly, if you’re on a budget. That’s why I like to show them some love. And as you can see, this Cheesy Pasta Bake is pure comfort!
Cheesy Pasta Bake
This was a favorite of my son’s when he was a teen. I swear he could down half of it for dinner and in the morning, there’d be nothing but an empty casserole in the sink!
About Cheesy Pasta Bake:
Cheesy Pasta Bake is a mix of perfectly cooked pasta and marinara, spiked with a few herbs for that long-simmered flavor. There is ground beef just because, and Italian sausage just to be extra. (You can use all ground beef, all Italian sausage, or ground chicken or turkey. You do you!)
What makes the dish is the mozzarella, fresh, and for impact on top of the dish. That’s sprinkled with a little Parmesan, so the cheese is all browned and bubbly out of the oven. I can just about guarantee cheese pull. (Grated Mozzarella is a good budget option.)
Cheesy Pasta Bake
Variations:
Two optional ingredients take Cheesy Pasta Bake over the top.
- The first: A good glug of red wine. I wouldn’t go buy a bottle for the small amount in the recipe, but if I have a bottle open, it does amazing things for the flavor.
- The second: Layer in and on top, little dollops of a ricotta mixture. More on that, below.
Making Cheesy Pasta Bake:
I have a friend who makes stellar casseroles. He gave me his secrets. I was guilty of piddling around when making, doing things bit by bit, here and there. It’s the little extra love and attention that makes all the difference.
- Ideally, the pasta and sauce should be hot when combined and placed in the oven. Time the pasta to be done when the sauce is. That lets you bake for the shortest time possible.
- Bake covered, until bubbly and hot, then uncover and add the cheese. Continue to cook until the cheese is melted; if not melted in five to seven minutes, turn on the broiler.
- When out of the oven, let it sit for about 10 minutes before serving. It will continue to absorb any excess liquid.
A couple of other hints:
- Have everything on hand before the pasta is done. That lets you assemble quickly. Drain quickly, toss pasta into the hot sauce, then get it into the casserole.
- Cook the pasta just shy of how you normally eat it; it cooks more and absorbs excess liquid in the oven. When the pasta is completely cooked first, the casserole can be gummy, mushy, or watery.
Cheesy Pasta Bake
About the Marinara:
The sauce used makes a huge difference. I love Aldi’s knock-off version of Rao’s (“Specially Selected Marinara Sauce”) or Emeril’s Chunky. If you pick up a cheap sauce, add Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and herbs if needed.
Either is pricier than making your own. You can try out Cook’s Illustrated version if you don’t have your own recipe. You’ll need 6 cups, so the recipe will have to be increased.
This amount of pasta can handle a lot of sauce. I use more sauce than most, 1 1/2 to 2 (24-ounce jars). 1 1/2 jars were used for the cheesy pasta bake photos; the larger amount will be more tomato-y. Either use any leftover marinara for another dish or label and freeze for later.
About the Ricotta Mixture:
If it feels spendy and I if don’t feel like making Homemade Ricotta (it’s easy but takes time), I use the old trick my Mom taught me. Blend up cottage cheese, Parmesan, and an egg. A little parsley, fresh or dried, does wonders.
I like to dollop a few teaspoons halfway through adding the pasta, then add the mozzarella to the top. Any empty spaces get another little spoonful of the mixture.
That helps to keep that mozz from becoming one solid sheet of cheese across the top of the casserole.
Make Ahead:
- Put the dish together as directed, without cheese on top; refrigerate tightly covered. Bring it out an hour ahead if time allows. Loosen the foil so it comes to room temperature quickly. It may need to cook longer, covered, before adding the cheese.
- This freezes well. If you have a smaller family, think about dividing this into two pans and freezing one for later.
Parmesan Bread Garlic Toast
Serve With:
Garlic bread is a must, and a simple green salad with an Italian or Balsamic Dressing is perfect.
If on a budget, make the garlic bread and make the salad with a head of Romaine. Packaged Romaine mix runs 4 to 10 times that of a head.
Leftover Cheesy Pasta Bake:
This is even better the next day. Store in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for four to five days. May need a little added water when reheated.
- Reheat servings, lightly covered, in the microwave.
- Larger amounts may be heated in a saucepan.
May be frozen.
Other Recipes You Might Like:
Copycat Olive Garden Salad
Saving Money on Groceries:
What you pay for groceries depends on not just WHERE you shop, but WHEN. Be strategic and stock up at rock-bottom prices.
- The best sales are before holidays; check out Win at the Grocers. Think beyond the occasion & use the opportunity to stock up at a low for the coming weeks to months.
- If available, take advantage of discount stores like Aldi or Lidl. The pricing at Buyer’s clubs is not always the lowest, but can trump in quality. Be selective when shopping there.
Pasta:
- Pasta is a basic pantry ingredient; don’t pay full price – stock your pantry when sales are rock bottom.
- Freeze it for three days to eliminate the possibility of pests.
Italian Sausage:
- Watch for sales through the summer (grilling season) and in early fall after the hogs go to market.
- If the sale is great, buy extra and freeze. Wrap well to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to six months in a fridge/freezer or up to a year in a stand-alone.
- If using in a recipe, compare the pricing of links to bulk.
Ground Beef:
- Ground Beef is often on sale and freezes well; don’t buy it when it’s needed. Instead, stock up at rock bottom and freeze in amounts that make sense. Most recipes use one pound; some get by with a little less.
- Pricing is lowest during the summer months, even lower before Summer Holidays.
- Each percentage drops to a low about once a quarter; being versatile gives more options for savings.
- Ground beef is usually cheaper in larger family packs and even cheaper in the “chubs.”
- Discount stores have great sales, and your buyers’ club is worth checking.
Fresh Mozzarella:
- Look for fabulous pricing at buyers’ clubs or discount stores.
- Grated Mozzerella is another option; buy on sale in larger bags, divide extra into standard 16-ounce sizes, and freeze.
Cheesy Pasta Bake
Cheesy Pasta Bake
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Pasta Main Dish
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
The Cheesy Pasta Bake:
- 14 to 16 ounces uncooked ziti, penne, or mostaccioli or short tubed pasta of choice
- 8 ounces bulk Italian sausage
- 1/2 pound ground beef, pork, chicken, or turkey
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 3 to 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup red wine (optional)
- 1 1/2 to 2 jars (24 ounces each) marinara sauce, or 6 cups homemade
- 6 to 8-ounce log whole-milk mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Optional Ricotta Mixture:
- about 15 ounces (about 2 cups) Ricotta cheese (or the same amount cottage cheese, blended)
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or two teaspoons dried, optional
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°. As you begin to prepare the rest of ingredients, cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain and set aside.
Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausage and beef (or other choice) to pan; cook until browned, stirring to crumble. If mixture sticks to pan, add a little bit of water, but be sure to cook until the water evaporates. Remove from the pan. Drain fat if necessary.
Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and sauté until onion is tender. Add the garlic, basil, and red pepper and saute for a minute or two longer.
Add wine if using, scraping the pan to loosen browned bits, and cook until liquid almost evaporates. Remove from heat and stir in ground meat/sausage mixture, and marinara sauce. Heat through. Add pasta and stir. Remove from heat.
Spoon mixture into a 13 x 9–inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover and bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until hot throughout bubbly, Remove from oven and add mozzarella slices, sprinkle with Parmesan, and bake until cheese melts and begins to brown, about 5o to 7 minutes. If the cheese isn’t browning, turn the broiler on and watch closely. Remove from oven and let sit about 10 minutes before serving.
Optional Ricotta Mixture:
If using optional Ricotta mixture, mix together ingredients: the ricotta, egg, parmesan, and parsley if using.
Add half the pasta mixture to the casserole. Dollop half the Ricotta mixture over. Add the remaining pasta mixture. Cover and bake as above. Remove from oven and add the mozzarella cheese over the top. Dollop the remaining ricotta mixture around, filling any spaces between the mozzarella. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake as directed above.
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