Italian Baked Pasta Dishes for Any Occasion

Italian Baked Pasta Dishes are a staple in my family. Growing up my mom always found a way to bake different types of pasta from baked Ziti to pasta and Italian sausage.

Baked pasta recipes are the heart of the Italian home and one of these recipes is sure to resonate with you and inspire your next dinner in the oven.

Jump to:

• How Long to Cook Pasta?
• Pre-Cooking Pasta vs Oven Ready Pasta
• How to Prepare Pasta for a Pasta Bake
• Pasta Sauce Options
• How to Re-heat Oven Baked Pasta
• How to Store or Freeze Oven Baked Pasta
• Meaty Baked Pasta Dishes
• Gluten Free Pasta Bake Recipes
• Seafood Pasta Bake Recipes
• Meatless Pasta Bake Recipes
• Other Pasta Recipes
• PIN it Here
• Food Safety
• Comments

How Long to Cook Pasta?

Most important is that you always follow the manufacturers instructions and don't assume that every pasta will cook in the same amount of time.

Pasta made with different ingredients such as beans, spelt, wheat, potato will take different times to cook. For example, potato gnocchi will cook in 2 to 3 minutes, while white glutenous pasta will take roughly 8 to 10 minutes to cook.

The best guidance I can give you when cooking pasta is to check the doneness every couple of minutes. Once it is almost cooked, but "al dente", it's time to drain the pasta.

Never rinse pasta or put olive oil in the water. The gluten on the pasta helps to coat the pasta with the sauce that you are using. It's like the glue that helps the sauce stick to your pasta. So do not rinse your pasta no matter how tempted you are to do so.

Pasta water is like gold. Always reserve about a cup of the pasta water when draining the pasta as it can help to loosen the pasta up, if it clumps together, past water will help coat the pasta with your sauce.

Pre-Cooking Pasta vs Oven Ready Pasta

There are some pasta products that are oven ready. I recommend that whenever possible buy oven ready products because it will make putting together your meal a lot easier and quicker.

As always, check the manufacturers instructions on whether the pasta needs to be cooked or not before putting in the oven.

Most "oven ready" pasta will have writing right on the front of the package indicating that the past is "oven ready" and doesn't require pre-boiling.

How to Prepare Pasta for a Pasta Bake

To prepare your pasta for a pasta bake, determine if your past needs to be pre-boiled or is oven ready.

If your pasta requires pre-boiling, remember to salt your water generously and remove the pasta when it is "al dente".

Al dente just means that the pasta isn't fully cooked and is still hard. The pasta has a "bite". Don't worry that the pasta isn't fully cooked because it will finish cooking in the oven.

If your pasta is "oven ready", remember to add more liquid to the casserole so that the pasta has liquid to absorb and cook. If there isn't enough liquid, the pasta may burn on the bottom or it will not cook and be hard and very dry.

Pasta Sauce Options

There's nothing better than making your own homemade pasta sauces. Whether you like red sauce, a creamy alfredo sauce or a meaty bolognese sauce, there's always something to be said about making your own sauces for pasta recipes.

Here are a few options for easy to make pasta sauce recipes:

• Marinara Tomato Pasta Sauce
• Pesto Sauce, Dairy Free Pesto Sauce
• Bolognese Sauce
• Alfredo Sauce
• Carbonaro Sauce
• Tomato Ricotta Sauce
• Ground Veal Ragu

How to Re-heat Oven Baked Pasta

The best part about oven baked pasta dishes is the leftovers. Leftovers make great work lunches. Place any leftovers in a microwave safe container so that you can easily microwave to re-heat and eat.

Oven baked pasta can also be warmed up in a frypan with a little bit of vegetable or olive oil. The best part about warming it up in a frypan is getting the bottom all crispy. Yum!

How to Store or Freeze Oven Baked Pasta

If you have a lot of leftovers, you can also store your oven baked pasta in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. Or you can place it in a freezer safe container and freeze it.

With the exception of an oven baked pasta made with cream sauce, all other oven baked pasta dishes should keep well in the freezer.

Consume any frozen leftover oven baked pasta dishes within one month of freezing. Thaw out overnight in the refrigerator before warming up.

Meaty Baked Pasta Dishes

Momma's lasagna al forno recipe is an authentic Italian Lasagna bake recipe using ground beef. This lasagna recipe is hearty and filled with multiple protein sources including a delicious meat sauce, hard boiled egg and mozzarella cheese.

This baked pasta with chicken is comfort food at its finest. Filled with chunks of chicken, penne pasta, chopped tomatoes all wrapped up in a creamy cheese sauce. Make this ahead of time and pop in the oven before dinner. 

These three meat cannelloni are amazingly delicious and hearty. You won't be able to stop at just two! Tasty meat, cheese and a tangy marinara sauce makes this baked pasta dish perfect for any occasion whether it's a family dinner or a celebration!

Baked Ziti with Meatballs is an easy weeknight dinner that you can have on the table quickly. Using homemade or store-bought meatballs, this cheesy casserole will soon become a family favorite!

Rigatoni al forno aka baked rigatoni is similar to a lasagna but uses small pasta rounds in place of long sheets of lasagna noodles. The concept is the same as a traditional lasagna and is just as hearty. Made with ground beef sauce, hard boiled eggs and lots of mozzarella.

Baked Ziti with Sweet Italian Sausage is a dinner the whole family will love! This flavorful dish can be made ahead of time and is great for sharing with guests and taking to those in need.

Baked Feta Chicken Pasta is a quick dinner made with a handful of simple, fresh ingredients. Inspired by the viral TikTok baked feta pasta, you'll love this higher protein version with chicken!

Gluten Free Pasta Bake Recipes

This Riso al Forno, baked rice in the oven is a great option if you are gluten intolerant. Similar to baked lasagna, this oven baked rice is a great substitute for gluten pasta and is very hearty. You can make this oven ready dish earlier in the day and then bake it about one hour before you want to eat.

This creamy Spinach Cauliflower Mac and Cheese is an easy to make low carb and keto alternative to traditional macaroni and cheese. Steamed cauliflower is mixed with fresh spinach and covered in a white cheesy sauce. Then it's smothered with mozzarella cheese and crispy bacon. It's a delicious way to sneak in some extra vegetables into your families diet.

This gluten free vegan baked pasta pie is a scrumptious first course made with dairy free bechamel and a super simple lentil ragu!

This gluten-free lasagna recipe is a delicious and filling dinner classic packed with Italian seasoning, herbs, and three types of cheeses. With just 20 minutes of prep and minimal effort, this homemade beef lasagna will leave you happy, full, and excited for leftovers.

Seafood Pasta Bake Recipes

The cheesy goodness in this seafood macaroni and cheese pasta bake is a delicious twist on traditional macaroni and cheese but still easy enough for weeknight dinners. It's total comfort food with a little flair. You will love the smoothness of the cheese and the crunch of the topping.

Cheesy, comforting, Fresh Salmon Casserole baked pasta. Kids love the shell-shaped pasta. I love the fresh salmon. This salmon casserole recipe with crackers is easy for a weeknight and even the leftovers are SO GOOD.

Tuna casserole with tangy sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, shell pasta and a creamy, tomato-pesto Alfredo sauce.

Meatless Pasta Bake Recipes

Made with your favorite vegan sausage, pasta, and sauce…along with a few other ingredients, this Vegan Pasta Bake is pure nostalgia and creamy delicious. It will remind you of the pasta bake casserole of your childhood - only made vegan!

Vegan Pasta Bake is a delicious casserole that's ready in an hour. Add your favorite vegetables like zucchini and mushrooms to make it a complete meal. If you enjoy lasagna but want an easier option, this is the recipe for you.

Vegan Baked Spaghetti Casserole is a great family dinner idea and this recipe will be your next favorite! It's cozy, hearty, and is a real crowd-pleaser!

Baked pasta is usually made with pre-cooked pasta that gets tossed in meat and tomato sauce. Then it's topped with lots of cheese and baked until golden.

Vegetarian Ricotta Stuffed Shells with Broccoli is a delicious and scrumptious dinner for Meatless Monday. Three types of cheese, pasta and marinara sauce - what's not to love? With broccoli added, this makes a healthy comfort food meal for any day of the week.

This recipe for homemade Cheese Manicotti will not disappoint you or your loved ones. Made with fresh pasta, ricotta, eggs and fresh tomato sauce, this recipe for cannelloni will be a winner any night of the week or the weekend.

This healthy baked eggplant parmesan or eggplant parmigiana made from crispy eggplant slices is better than Olive Garden eggplant parmesan.

Baked eggplant slices are layered with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese making this a delicious meal that is also nutritious and a vegetarian eggplant parmigiana.

When homestyle cooking, comfort food, and healthy ingredients come together like this Mushroom & Spinach Pasta Bake did, it's a total celebration in our household!

This Cheesy Cheddar Broccoli Bake is a great easy weeknight meal or side dish. Perfect for a family dinner or get-together. No cream soups are needed for this simple take on a classic recipe! You can use frozen broccoli florets instead of roasting fresh broccoli to make it even faster. 

Other Pasta Recipes

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