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Easy Cheesy Baked Pasta
This comforting, vegetarian Cheesy Baked Pasta tastes like lasagna but is much easier to make. Penne pasta, marinara, and fresh herbs meet a creamy blend of ricotta, Parmesan, and mozzarella cheeses. It’s a budget-friendly recipe for feeding a group or large family. You can also divide it in half and freeze one batch for later.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces (1 pound) whole wheat penne pasta
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 3 1/2 – 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley and/or basil (I used 2 tablespoons of each), plus more for garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed in hand (sub: dried oregano)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more for salting the pasta water)
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 1/2 cups marinara sauce*
*buy two 24-ounce jars at the store so you have enough
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Instructions
Make It Now:
- Boil Pasta: Cook pasta in salted water until it’s al dente, according to directions on the box and drain.
- Prep: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease one 9×13 inch casserole dish (or two 8×8 inch dishes) with cooking spray.
- Make Filling: In a large mixing bowl, stir together ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella cheese (reserve the rest), Parmesan cheese, eggs, fresh herbs, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir in 2 1/2 cups marinara (reserve the rest) and drained pasta and gently stir everything together.
- Finish Casserole: Add the pasta mixture to the greased casserole dish(es). Spread the remaining 1 cup of marinara sauce over the top and sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2-2 cups mozzarella cheese evenly over that.
- Bake & Serve: Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly on the edges and hot in the middle. Let sit for 5-10 minutes and garnish with lots of fresh chopped herbs.
Freeze For Later: Complete recipe through Step 4, but do not bake. Wrap casserole dish tightly with plastic wrap and a layer of foil (or use an air-tight lid). Freeze.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours. Bake as directed. Or, to bake from frozen, cover with foil. Place in cold oven and preheat to 375°. Bake for about 1 hour. Remove foil and bake another 25-30 minutes or until bubbly around the edges and heated through.
Notes/Tips
- Fresh herbs–parsley and/or basil–really make this dish, so do your best to find those.
- I used whole wheat penne because it’s more nutritious, hearty, and flavorful than white pasta, in my opinion.
- Want to add meat? Brown, crumble, and drain Italian sausage and stir it into the pasta and cheese mixture. Or try our Hearty Baked Penne Pasta recipe instead.
- I haven’t tested this with gluten-free pasta. If you try it, I’d suggest using Banza brand because it tends to not fall apart as easily and be sure to cook until barely al dente.
- This recipe make a LARGE batch that will serve 10-12 people. However, feel free to divide the recipe into two pans that serve 5-6 instead and freeze one for later using our instructions.