40 Comforting Baked Pasta Recipes For Special Occasions, Weeknights & Everything In Between (2024)

Step away from the stovetop.

By Camille Lowder
40 Comforting Baked Pasta Recipes For Special Occasions, Weeknights & Everything In Between (1)

We’ll never say no to pasta for dinner, especially recipes where your oven (and not the stovetop) does most of the work, like these 40 baked pasta dinners. They’re comforting, cheesy, and delightfully carb-y, and we almost don’t think they could get any better... but wait, there’s more! The best part about these baked pasta recipes is how truly versatile they are. They’re fancy enough to share with guests (seriously, who wouldn’t be pleased to be served Boursin baked ziti?), and cozy and hearty enough to feed your whole crew on a weeknight.

Looking for something easy peasy that you can whip up without much effort? Our 4-cheese gnocchi bake, our no-boil baked chicken pasta, and our Bolognese baked tortellini are all recipes that don’t even require a pot for boiling your noodles before baking. Okay with an extra step, but still don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen for hours? Our , our primavera baked orzo, and our pasta moussaka perfectly fit the bill.

Many of these recipes are also incredible for picky eaters, especially those who are in that phase where they only want to eat one thing. If that thing is pizza, you’re in luck; we’ve got 5 recipes here inspired by it, from a pasta-filled pizza casserole to . Trust us, kids (and adults who just feel like ones) are going to flip.

Craving pasta, but want to really impress? You’ve gotta try one of our classic Italian baked pasta recipes like our baked ziti or classic lasagna. They do take a bit more effort than, say, our shortcut versions, like our ravioli lasagna or our lasagna roll-ups, but they are so worth it. Bonus: we’ve got tons of tips to getting them just right that will be invaluable for all the pasta recipes you make from here on out.

Want even more pasta in your life? Check out our favorite , our top Italian pastas, and our best gnocchi and orzo recipes too.

1

Homemade Lasagna

40 Comforting Baked Pasta Recipes For Special Occasions, Weeknights & Everything In Between (3)

Based on the traditional lasagna alla Bolognese from the Emilia-Romagna province in Italy, we grabbed what we loved most about the timeless, classic recipe and simplified it to make it weeknight-friendly.

Get the Homemade Lasagna recipe.

2

Pizza Casserole

40 Comforting Baked Pasta Recipes For Special Occasions, Weeknights & Everything In Between (4)

From the realms of cheesy pizza and bubbling baked pasta comes a new family favorite: pizza casserole. Loaded with sausage, veggies, and plenty of cheese, this easy weeknight dinner has all of the cheesy, tomato-filled goodness of our favorite take-out pizza, neatly packaged in a 13"x9" pan.

Get the Pizza Casserole recipe.

3

No-Boil Baked Chicken Pasta

40 Comforting Baked Pasta Recipes For Special Occasions, Weeknights & Everything In Between (5)

Pasta dinners have a reputation for being quick, but let's be honest: Bringing a pot of water to a boil takes forever. Enter this clever no-boil baked chicken pasta, which allows the oven to do the work.

Get the No-Boil Baked Chicken Pasta recipe.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

4

Baked Ziti

40 Comforting Baked Pasta Recipes For Special Occasions, Weeknights & Everything In Between (6)

After 5 rounds of testing, we finally found the ideal combination of flavors and effort for this baked ziti—it’s got rich ricotta and a meaty, tomato-based sauce, thrown together in a dish and baked with your pasta.

Get the Baked Ziti recipe.

5

Baked Spaghetti

40 Comforting Baked Pasta Recipes For Special Occasions, Weeknights & Everything In Between (7)

This casserole is what comfort food is all about—cheesy, hearty, and completely versatile to whatever you have on hand. Ready in around an hour, this is the simplest and most satisfying dish when you're looking to truly please, without heaps of extra effort.

Get the Baked Spaghetti recipe.

6

Creamy Pesto Baked Gnocchi & Chicken Skillet

40 Comforting Baked Pasta Recipes For Special Occasions, Weeknights & Everything In Between (8)

Pesto is a sauce that turns any dish into kitchen gold, especially this totally comforting and delicious gnocchi and chicken bake. For the perfect touch, stir a dollop into the tomato mixture to coat everything, then dollop the top with more right out of the oven for a fresh finish.

Get the .

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

7

Chicken Alfredo Bake

40 Comforting Baked Pasta Recipes For Special Occasions, Weeknights & Everything In Between (9)

Think of this as a creamier baked ziti. Penne tossed with creamy Alfredo sauce, chicken, and (a lot) of mozzarella—need we say more?

Get the Chicken Alfredo Bake recipe.

8

Baked Mostaccioli

40 Comforting Baked Pasta Recipes For Special Occasions, Weeknights & Everything In Between (10)

Mostaccioli is a hearty baked pasta that's perfect for a weeknight dinner. It's essentially an easier version of lasagna, made with penne. Top it with plenty of cheese, and you'll soon have a new favorite to add to the rotation.

Get the Baked Mostaccioli recipe.

9

Primavera Baked Orzo

40 Comforting Baked Pasta Recipes For Special Occasions, Weeknights & Everything In Between (11)

This one-pan dinner is inspired by classic baked ziti, but with a spring-y twist. Paired with al dente orzo and a light cream sauce, this hearty dinner is the perfect way to celebrate the return of longer days and warmer temperatures.

Get the Primavera Baked Orzo recipe.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

10

Vegetarian Baked Ziti

40 Comforting Baked Pasta Recipes For Special Occasions, Weeknights & Everything In Between (12)

Wanna pack this baked ziti with even MORE veggies? Try throwing in some chopped red peppers, sliced zucchini, or swap the spinach for kale! Just because it's carb-y and cheesy doesn't mean it has to be totally void of veggies.

Get the Vegetarian Baked Ziti recipe.

11

Baked Mac & Cheese

40 Comforting Baked Pasta Recipes For Special Occasions, Weeknights & Everything In Between (13)

Baked has a bad reputation for being gummy, soggy, and downright inedible. This is the recipe to fix all of that.

Get the .

12

Creamy Kale & Gnocchi Bake

40 Comforting Baked Pasta Recipes For Special Occasions, Weeknights & Everything In Between (14)

Fans of creamed spinach will absolutely love this hearty bake that puts the classic side dish front-and-center on your plate with gnocchi as the main attraction. It's quick to put together since the gnocchi cook right in the sauce, making them extra creamy and delicious.

Get the .

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

13

Ravioli Lasagna

40 Comforting Baked Pasta Recipes For Special Occasions, Weeknights & Everything In Between (15)

Pasta night is better when your two favorites—ravioli and lasagna—combine. Italian food will never be the same.

Get the Ravioli Lasagna recipe.

14

Stuffed Rigatoni

40 Comforting Baked Pasta Recipes For Special Occasions, Weeknights & Everything In Between (16)

When we first found out "stuffed rigatoni" was a popular search term, we were stumped. Why not just buy ravioli? Then we tried it ourselves. There's something incredible about the way the ridges soak up the sauce, and the fact that the lemony ricotta-Parm mixture bursts a little with each bite.

Get the Stuffed Rigatoni recipe.

15

Pasta Moussaka

40 Comforting Baked Pasta Recipes For Special Occasions, Weeknights & Everything In Between (17)

This labor of love marries classic Greek eggplant moussaka with baked ziti, turning it into an eye-catching beauty of a pasta dinner that's easy enough for weeknights, but special enough for guests too.

Get the Pasta Moussaka recipe.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

16

Pizza Rigatoni Pie

40 Comforting Baked Pasta Recipes For Special Occasions, Weeknights & Everything In Between (18)

The noodles in this stunning dish—also known as honeycomb pasta—get filled with ricotta and bake standing up in a springform pan for some serious WOW factor.

Get the Pizza Rigatoni Pie recipe.

17

Vegan Lasagna

40 Comforting Baked Pasta Recipes For Special Occasions, Weeknights & Everything In Between (19)

Tofu replaces ricotta in this vegan version of classic lasagna. Add that to a béchamel-inspired white sauce, and you've got a vegan dinner that won't make you feel at all deprived.

Get the Vegan Lasagna recipe.

18

Boursin Baked Ziti

40 Comforting Baked Pasta Recipes For Special Occasions, Weeknights & Everything In Between (20)

Many white baked ziti recipes call for swapping out the marinara for béchamel sauce, but a mixture of Boursin, ricotta, and heavy cream is much simpler—and super-delicious. The Boursin, which is packed with garlic and herbs, adds instant flavor to the sauce, and it melts like a dream.

Get the Boursin Baked Ziti recipe.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

19

Cheese Manicotti

40 Comforting Baked Pasta Recipes For Special Occasions, Weeknights & Everything In Between (21)

These manicotti are the epitome of comfort food. When you're craving cheese and carbs, there's really nothing better.

Get the Cheese Manicotti recipe.

20

Pastitsio

40 Comforting Baked Pasta Recipes For Special Occasions, Weeknights & Everything In Between (22)

Derived from the Italian word pasticcio, which means “mix” or “hodgepodge,” pastitsio is a classic Greek casserole best described as a cross between lasagna and moussaka. Rich and hearty, creamy and comforting, it’s well worth the extra effort it takes to put together.

Get the Pastitsio recipe.

40 Comforting Baked Pasta Recipes For Special Occasions, Weeknights & Everything In Between (23)

Camille Lowder

Digital Food Producer

Camille Lowder is the digital food producer at Delish, otherwise known as our resident queen of recipe galleries. Previously, she attended the Natural Gourmet Institute for culinary school and worked at/managed a number of New York restaurants. She loves anything vegan, foods masquerading as other foods (hello, cauliflower), and a well-used Oxford comma.

40 Comforting Baked Pasta Recipes For Special Occasions, Weeknights & Everything In Between (2024)

FAQs

What is Italy's number 1 pasta? ›

Italy's most popular pasta is penne. This quill-shaped pasta is unusual in that it has a very precise origin. It was born in 1865, with a new device patented by Giovanni Battista Capurro in the small town of San Martino d'Albero, near Genoa.

How to fancy up pasta? ›

Butternut or acorn squash, zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, and onion are all great options to add to a pasta dish, along with some minced garlic, olive oil, and herbs. Of course, you can also always make a homemade cheese sauce from milk or cream, grated cheese, flour or cornstarch, and salt and pepper.

What to put on pasta when you have no sauce? ›

Cheese is an excellent way to add flavor to your pasta without having to rely on sauce. Try mixing your angel hair pasta with goat cheese, and toss in sun-dried tomatoes to make an amazing meal with just a few ingredients. Garlic butter is a terrific way to season all types of noodles.

What is the secret to good pasta? ›

Wait until the water comes to a rapid, aggressive boil before adding your pasta. Throwing in the pasta too early when the water isn't hot enough can result in some sticky, gummy noodles. Patience, friend. Stir right away — and every couple minutes.

What is nice to add to pasta? ›

Add some mix-ins

Now's the time to get really creative with your pasta. Add in some chopped olives or jarred tapenade, quartered artichoke hearts, or sun-dried tomatoes in oil, capers, sliced pickled chiles or roasted red peppers, drained canned tuna or other tinned seafood.

How do you cook pasta for a crowd and keep it warm? ›

Chafing Dish

Chafing dishes are often used in catering or cooking for a large crowd. They work much like the double boiler method but on a larger and more portable scale. A chafing dish is a large pan filled with a little hot water and a slightly smaller pan that is set on top and filled with food.

How much pasta for 20 people? ›

If you're having pasta as your main meal, we'd suggest the following quantities: 100g of dried pasta per person. 120g of fresh pasta per person.

What are the 4 main pasta dishes? ›

There are four classic Roman pasta dishes: cacio e pepe, carbonara, amatriciana, and alla gricia. Each one is a variation on the other — alla gricia is cacio e pepe plus guanciale, carbonara is gricia plus egg, and so on. These four dishes are famous in all of Italian cooking, not just in Rome.

What is the most sold pasta in the US? ›

Spaghetti – You just can't beat this classical shape, and it shouldn't be any surprise that it's at the top of the list.

What pasta dish is most popular in Italy? ›

Carbonara. The Carbonara we know today is made by tossing spaghetti with guanciale (cured pork jowl), egg yolks, and Pecorino Romano cheese. Despite its simplicity, this dish remains one of Rome and the world's favourites.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Nathanael Baumbach

Last Updated:

Views: 5479

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (55 voted)

Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Nathanael Baumbach

Birthday: 1998-12-02

Address: Apt. 829 751 Glover View, West Orlando, IN 22436

Phone: +901025288581

Job: Internal IT Coordinator

Hobby: Gunsmithing, Motor sports, Flying, Skiing, Hooping, Lego building, Ice skating

Introduction: My name is Nathanael Baumbach, I am a fantastic, nice, victorious, brave, healthy, cute, glorious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.