Quick, Easy and Cheesy Pasta Bake
Perfect for a family dinner, church potluck, party, or any gathering for that matter, this potluck is sure to please.
This is a great dinner idea you can through together and place in the oven in as little as 30 minutes. The result is warm, inviting, and delicious.
Fusilli Pasta
This dish requires a short pasta. I personally prefer Fusilli pasta or Pasta Shells. One of my favorite brands of pasta is De Cecco. This pasta is the real-deal. The company is headquartered in Italy and has been around since 1886.
Box of De Cecco Fusilli Pasta.
This dish also uses two types of Mozzarella Cheese. “Why do I need two types of mozzarella” you ask? The shredded mozzarella will incorporate itself into the dish and melt away. The fresh mozzarella will melt beautifully on top and will become that ooey gooey cheesiness that you will want to dive into.
Fresh and Low-Moisture Shredded Mozzarella Cheeses.
Here are the steps to cheese goodness:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Butter a 9 by 13 inch clear glass baking dish. This will prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom.
Buttered baking dish.
Cut the remaining butter in chunks and dab across the dish. The heat from the pasta will melt the butter and add richness to the pasta.
Buttered baking dish with extra butter.
Add 4-5 quarts of water to a pot. Bring to a boil. Add salt and olive oil to the water. Add pasta to the water. Boil for about 6-7 minutes, or until “al dente” (Italian for “to the teeth” or firm). You want the pasta a little under cooked because you will bake it.
Drain the pasta, then add it to the buttered baking dish.
Pour the pasta sauce over the pasta.
Pasta with tomato sauce.
Spread the shredded mozzarella cheese over the dish. Drizzle the heavy cream over the shredded mozzarella. This will keep the cheese from drying out during baking.
Pasta with shredded mozzarella.
Rip small chunks of the fresh mozzarella and arrange on top of the dish. It kind of looks delicious now, but it needs to bake for 30 minutes. I am salivating just thinking about it.
Pasta with fresh mozzarella.
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
The Pasta Bake in all of its cheesy glory!
Don’t you just want to dive in with a gigantic fork?
Enjoy the warm cheesy goodness!
Quick and Easy Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 4 Tbps Butter
- 1 Tbsp Salt
- 1 Tbsp Oil (I use Olive Oil)
- 1 Lb Short Pasta such as Fusilli Pasta or Medium Pasta Shells
- 1 24 Ounce Jar Traditional Tomato Pasta Sauce
- 3 Tbsp Heavy Cream
- 2 Cups Shredded Low Moisture Mozzarella
- 12 Ounces Fresh Mozzarella
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
-
Butter a 9 by 13 inch clear glass baking dish. Cut the remaining butter in chunks and dab across the dish. The heat from the pasta will melt this.
-
Add 4-5 quarts of water to a pot. Bring to a boil. Add salt and olive oil to the water.
-
Add pasta to the water. Boil for about 6-7 minutes, or until "al dente" (Italian for "to the teeth" or firm). You want the pasta a little under cooked because you will bake it.
-
Drain the pasta, then add it to the buttered baking dish.
-
Pour the pasta sauce over the pasta.
-
Spread the shredded mozzarella cheese over the dish. Drizzle the heavy cream over the shredded mozzarella. This will keep the cheese from drying out during baking.
-
Rip small chunks of the fresh mozzarella and arrange on top of the dish.
-
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Enjoy the warm cheesy goodness.
Recipe Notes
I use a clear glass baking dish for this recipe. It adds to the presentation and is easy to clean after.