Description
This Simple Cheesy Baked Pasta is a comforting and easy-to-make dish featuring tender pasta baked in a creamy tomato sauce with three kinds of cheese. Perfect for weeknight dinners, the recipe can be made with or without ground meat, making it versatile and satisfying for any crowd.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 pound pasta (Penne, Rotini, Ziti, etc.)
Sauce and Cheese
- 4 cups tomato pasta sauce (32 ounces)
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 3 to 4 cups grated mozzarella cheese
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Meat (Optional)
- 1 pound ground meat (beef, turkey, sausage) – optional, can be omitted for meatless version
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: In a large sauce pot, cook the pasta for about 2 minutes less than the package directions specify, ensuring it remains slightly firm as it will continue to cook in the oven.
- Prepare Sauce and Meat: While the pasta cooks, brown the ground meat in a separate pan if using. In a pot large enough to mix pasta later, bring the tomato pasta sauce to a boil. Once boiling and the meat is thoroughly cooked, add the cream cheese and stir until fully melted and incorporated. Reduce heat and allow the sauce to simmer gently.
- Grate Cheeses: Grate the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses if not pre-grated, preparing them for layering.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Drain the pasta and return it to its cooking pot. Pour in the sauce mixture and stir until the pasta is evenly coated. Alternatively, add pasta directly into the sauce pot if it is larger.
- Assemble in Baking Dish: Grease a 3-quart (approximately 13×9-inch) baking dish. Spoon half of the pasta mixture into the dish, then sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese on top. Layer the remaining pasta over, followed by the rest of the mozzarella and the grated Parmesan cheese on top.
- Bake: Place the assembled dish in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) and bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden.
Notes
- You can use any short pasta shape like penne, rotini, or ziti for best results.
- Leaving out the ground meat makes this dish vegetarian.
- For a richer sauce, ensure cream cheese is fully incorporated over low heat to avoid curdling.
- Use freshly grated cheeses for better melting and flavor.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated in the oven or microwave.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
Keywords: baked pasta, cheesy pasta recipe, easy pasta bake, comfort food, mozzarella pasta bake
