Easy Homemade Pasta Bake Recipe

Easy Pasta Bake comes together in minutes with lots of hearty beef, cheese and more. This is freezer friendly, inexpensive and all around a great meal.

Easy Pasta Bake Recipe:

This delicious Italian dinner is so easy and can be whipped up in just minutes. Your family will love this meal and you will love how simple it is. This is the perfect meal to make-ahead meal that can be made with many different pastas.

If you are super busy like we are, this is a great meal to throw together during busy weeknights. Anyone can make this and the entire family will love it. Easy Baked Pasta is simple to make and a hearty meal.

Each bite is so creamy with all the blends of cheese and the tomato sauce is delicious with the pasta and ground beef. This is so filling and easy to feed a crowd or large family.

What to Serve with Easy Pasta Bake Recipe:

• Green Salad – We often serve a simple salad with this meal. It is quick and easy and goes great with the pasta.
• Roasted Vegetables – You could also try Roasted Green Beans or learn how to steam broccoli in the microwave for a super easy veggie side dish.
• Garlic Bread – Keep it simple and enjoy. If you have a few extra minutes, try this Garlic Bread Cheese Sticks Recipe.

The pasta sauce is so amazing and we all love to dip the bread sticks into it. Yum! You will want to get every last drop.

Ingredients needed:

• Rigatoni
• Ground Beef
• Diced Onion
• Spaghetti Sauce
• Mozzarella Cheese
• Minced Garlic
• Italian Seasoning
• Salt
• Pepper
• Grated Parmesan Cheese

How to make Easy Pasta Bake:

• Step 1 – First, cook pasta according to package directions.

• Step 2 – Next, brown beef in a large skillet with onion and seasonings.

• Step 3 – Drain grease from meat. Add spaghetti sauce to skillet and simmer on low.

• Step 4 – Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).

• Step 5 – Drain pasta. Spray 9X13 pan with nonstick cooking spray.

• Step 6 – Now, it is time to start layering all of the yummy ingredients! Layer ½ of the pasta, ½ the sauce mix in the baking dish.

• Step 7 – Sprinkle with 4 ounces of the shredded mozzarella cheese.

• Step 8 – Repeat layering process.

• Step 9 – Then top the casserole with the grated parmesan cheese.

• Step 10 – Bake at 350 F for until cheese is melted about 20 minutes to 30 minutes. This recipe is so easy. Keep reading for the full recipe.

Do you Cook Pasta before Baking?

Yes, in this recipe we cook the pasta. Simply cook the pasta and mix with the sauce before baking. Because this mixture is baked in sauce, the noodles would not cook.

Cook the pasta al dente or according to the pasta package then mix with the sauce ingredients.

Tips for Baked Pasta Casserole:

• Mozzarella Cheese – We recommend using block mozzarella cheese to place on top of the baked ziti. It will melt better and will not be as greasy. The cheese melts smoother and all around tastes better.
• Cook the pasta al dente – You do not want to over cook the pasta or it will be mushy.
• Spaghetti Sauce – You can use spaghetti sauce or make your own sauce. We like it pretty sauce but you can use less or more if you prefer.

Recipe Variations:

• Pasta – We used rigatoni pasta in this recipe, but you can use ziti or penne pasta as these types of noodles work great with this pasta sauce.
• Change the Meat – We used ground beef in this recipe, but you can easily use Italian Sausage, ground turkey, or pork for this recipe. We have even mixed Italian Sausage and Ground Beef together to give it more flavor.
• Tomato sauce – If you prefer a thinner consistency add a can of tomato sauce to the recipe. You could also used diced tomatoes. You can also use marinara sauce for a delicious variations.
• Add Vegetables – Bell peppers and mushrooms add even more flavor. You can add it to the meat as it browns or just toss them in the slow cooker. The vegetables get really tender. I really like to be able to sneak in vegetables in this pasta bake.
• Sour Cream – For a delicious creamy flavor, mix in sour cream in with the meat sauce for amazing flavor.
• Bread Crumbs – Top the pasta bake with bread crumbs for an amazing crunchy flavor.
• Add some heat – If you like a little extra spice to the meat blend then we can mix in some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.

How to Store Leftovers:

Place leftovers inside an airtight container in the fridge. It will last up to 5 days. We like to store in individual containers so it is a quick lunch the next day.

If you need it to last longer, freeze the leftovers up to 3 months. Just make sure to use a really good freezer container that seals tightly.

When ready to serve, allow it thaw in the fridge overnight. Then reheat in the microwave until heated through.

Easy Pasta Bake:

If you are looking for recipe that is the ultimate comfort food, then this easy bake pasta dish is the one to make. This Italian Pasta Bake is easy to make and the ingredients are simple too.

My family loves this recipe so much that they request this over mac and cheese. This is the perfect recipe to make for an easy weeknight meal or to feed a crowd.

Serve with a side of garlic bread and salad for a complete meal idea.

Print Baked Pasta Recipe below:

Try these other Easy Pasta Bake Recipes:

• Pepperoni Pasta Bake
• Crockpot Baked Pasta with Meatballs
• Crock Pot Parmesan Chicken Pasta 
• Crock pot cheesy chicken penne