Description

This Simple Cheesy Baked Pasta is a comforting, easy-to-make casserole perfect for weeknight dinners. Featuring tender pasta baked in a creamy tomato sauce enriched with cream cheese and topped with a generous blend of mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, it’s a hearty dish that satisfies both meat-eaters and vegetarians alike when the meat is omitted.

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta

1 pound pasta (Penne, Rotini, Ziti, or similar)

Sauce

4 cups tomato pasta sauce (32 ounces)
4 ounces cream cheese
1 pound ground meat (beef, turkey, or sausage) (optional)

Cheeses

3 to 4 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Cook Pasta: In a large sauce pot, cook pasta about 2 minutes less than the package directions indicate. This ensures the pasta will not be overcooked when baked later.
Prepare Sauce and Meat: While pasta cooks, brown the ground meat in a separate pan if using. In a large pot, heat the tomato pasta sauce until it boils. Add the cooked meat. Stir in the cream cheese until fully melted and incorporated. Reduce heat and let the sauce simmer gently.
Grate Cheeses: Grate mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses if not pre-grated, preparing them for layering in the casserole.
Combine Pasta and Sauce: Drain pasta and return it to the pot. Pour the simmering sauce over the pasta and stir gently until the pasta is evenly coated with sauce. Alternatively, combine pasta with sauce in the sauce pot.
Assemble the Casserole: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 3-quart (13×9-inch) baking dish. Spoon half of the pasta mixture into the dish and sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese. Layer the remaining pasta on top, then cover with the remaining mozzarella and sprinkle Parmesan cheese evenly over the top.
Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese on top is melted and bubbly with slight browning.

Notes

You can omit the ground meat to make the dish vegetarian.
Using cream cheese adds extra creaminess to the tomato sauce.
Cook pasta slightly less than al dente as it will cook more during baking.
Feel free to substitute mozzarella with a low-moisture variety for less wateriness.
This dish can be prepared in advance and refrigerated before baking.
Leftovers store well and can be reheated in the oven or microwave.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Italian-American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 420 kcal
Sugar: 6 g
Sodium: 700 mg
Fat: 18 g
Saturated Fat: 9 g
Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
Trans Fat: 0.3 g
Carbohydrates: 45 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 22 g
Cholesterol: 55 mg

Keywords: baked pasta, cheesy pasta bake, pasta casserole, comfort food, easy dinner, simple baked pasta