When you think of baked pasta, you inevitably think pasta al dente with mozzarella, and béchamel sauce – all baked in the oven au gratin. But baked pasta is so much more than this! You can make it with spaghetti, fusilli, pennette, gnocchi and even tortellini – with a myriad of different combinations, sauces and ingredients!
The ingredients in your average baked pasta dish are mozzarella cheese (that can always be replaced by another stringy cheese), béchamel sauce (best made from scratch) and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese – but there are also many variations for vegetarians and vegans, too!
Generally a very rich first course, baked pasta always helps make a good impression with guests – a lovely dish with a tasty, crunchy crust that everyone loves (children included)! Not to mention that baked pasta is also a great way to recycle leftover pasta. Just add some cheese and some other tasty ingredients or flavors and bake in the oven. This isn’t just heated pasta, anymore – this is a totally new dish! So without further ado, we present our 10 recipe ideas – all made with regular pasta! Lasagna will be covered another time.
Baked pasta with tomato sauce
The classic recipe – usually made with some pasta and meat sauce. Then add pieces of mozzarella or scamorza cheese, filling an oven dish with the ingredients. Sprinkle the surface with a few tablespoons of béchamel sauce and Parmigiano cheese. Bake in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 15 minutes.
Cheesy baked pasta
You can make this recipe with a white meat sauce or with vegetables and cheese. We suggest making a kind of ‘fondue’ by melting different types of cheese such as robiola, gorgonzola, Parmigiano and pecorino in some warm milk. Dress the pasta with this sauce and sprinkle with parmigiano cheese, béchamel sauce and mozzarella on top before baking in the oven.
Macaroni 'n' cheese
For this recipe, you can use macaroni pasta, ditalini rigati or celentani pasta. Make a cream for the pasta by melting different varieties of cheese in the béchamel sauce (e.g. cheddar, Parmigiano and fontina cheese). Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and cover the surface of the dough with a generous amount of Parmigiano cheese. Bake in a greased ovenproof dish at 350°F (180°C) for 15 minutes.
Vegetarian baked pasta
Did you know that you can make a great “meat” sauce with seitan or soybeans? Cheese can also be replaced by cashew nut butter made with water and spices. And the béchamel sauce? Make it at home with vegetable milk, butter and rice flour for a light and delicate flavor. Stuffed conchiglioni shells: a first course that usually leaves the table speechless. This particular pasta variety is on the larger side – all the better to hold the tasty filling. For a classic and easy filling, mix together ricotta and spinach. After boiling the conchiglioni in salted water, fill them and transfer to a buttered oven dish with béchamel sauce. Cover the shells with a simple tomato sauce or with more béchamel sauce and Parmigiano cheese.
Baked gnocchi
Also known as gnocchi alla sorrentina. A really simple and very tasty recipe. Once cooked, season the gnocchi with a tomato-basil sauce and cover with Parmigiano cheese and mozzarella cubes. Bake in the oven to perfection.
Rigatoni cake
An original idea for pasta – in the form of a cake! Boil the rigatoni al dente and drain. Place them vertically, one next to the other, in a round springform cake pan. Season with meat sauce (filling the pasta as much as possible) and complete with béchamel sauce, mozzarella and Parmigiano cheese. Bake in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 20 minutes.
Spaghetti cake
Another version of pasta cake can be made with spaghetti or tagliatelle. This is generally one of the best ways to recycle leftover pasta – somewhat like a Neapolitan frittata. In this case, whether the pasta has a white or red sauce, just add a little béchamel sauce, a few cubes of mozzarella, Parmigiano cheese and butter. Bake in a springform cake mold for about 15 minutes at 350°F (180°C).
Rice crown
A lovely first course made from boiled rice with your favorite kind of sauce. While still hot, the rice is mixed with butter, Parmigiano cheese and an egg to thicken the sauce. You can add tomato purée and peas or a white sauce, red sauce or vegetables. Make into the shape of a crown with the sauce and other ingredients inside.
Palermo baked pasta
This Sicilian first course is a classic of Italian cuisine – prepared with ring-shaped pasta and seasoned with a red meat sauce and peas. Transferred to a greased baking dish and sprinkled with breadcrumbs, this recipe alternates layers of fried eggplant and boiled eggs. Cover with grated pecorino cheese and bake in the oven at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes.