38 Baked Pasta Recipes That Hit the Spot Every Time

Who doesn't love baked pasta? Hearty and comforting, baked pasta is everything you love in a casserole dish. In fact, it's pretty much love in a casserole dish. Want a meal that's simple to prepare, feeds a crowd, and makes great leftovers? You're in the right place.

Part of the appeal is that baked pasta can be whatever you need it to be. Sometimes you need a big pan for an easy family dinner, a recipe built around whatever you already have in the pantry or maybe you just need a cozy meal after a long day. It's flexible, forgiving, and, best of all, leaves you with tomorrow's lunch already taken care of.

Ready to add another baked pasta recipe to the rotation? Start with our favorite baked mostaccioli. It has everything you love about lasagna — a savory meat sauce, creamy ricotta and melty mozzarella bubbling at the edges. But instead of flat lasagna noodles, the pasta is mostaccioli, a type of penne with a smooth exterior.

The short, tubular shape encourages plenty of sauce and cheese to get trapped inside so every bite is satisfying. We upped the ante with a combination of ground beef and sweet Italian sausage, providing the classic meatiness in the tomato sauce. While mostaccioli originates from the Campania region in southern Italy, this specific dish has ties to Chicago and St. Louis as a hearty casserole to serve at large family gatherings.

Chicken alfredo is a classic but it doesnt have to be basic. Change it up by stuffing jumbo shells with tender chicken thighs and homemade alfredo sacuce blended with ricotta and itallian cheese for extra creaminess. Baked until bubbly and topped with fresh chives, it's a fresh take on a classic.

This one-dish healthy pasta bake is the kind of cozy, flavor-packed dish you’ll crave on repeat. Juicy cherry tomatoes are roasted until they burst and caramelize, creating a naturally sweet, jammy sauce that clings to the tender orzo. Artichoke hearts, chickpeas and baby spinach bring fiber, protein and plenty of flavor, while a sprinkle of fresh mint and two kinds of melty cheese tie everything together into one bubbly, golden-topped bake.

With just a few extra minutes of prep time, a classic baked pasta dinner is transformed into an eye-catching pie. To save time, instead of making your own tomato sauce, you can substitute 4 cups of smooth-textured, store-bought marinara.

You definitely won't leave the table feeling hungry if you serve Anne's hearty lasagna layered with Italian sausage, cremini mushrooms and a trio of cheeses. The classic marinara ties everything together.

Tetrazzini is a supremely creamy sauce. What's better is when it gets baked together with the sharp flavors of garlic and lemon from shrimp scampi to make a ridiculously good mashup casserole topped with buttery breadcrumbs.

Jarred marinara and store-bought manicotti shells make this casual Italian comfort food a great weeknight dinner. Bake the sausage-stuffed shells until bubbly and golden brown.

Giada De Laurentiis rolls sheets of al dente lasagna into a clever dinner with a mixture of ricotta cheese, spinach and prosciutto. They get topped with sauce and cheese, then bake up into individual portions.

Loaded with spinach and three cheeses, Food Network Kitchen's wholesome manicotti requires only 15 minutes of prep work. Prepare the dish earlier in the day, then pop it in the oven just an hour before dinner.

This vegetarian baked pasta dish is bursting with color and flavor. Fontina, smoked mozzarella and Parmesan cheese add creaminess and flavor depth.

Just look at the ooey-gooey cheese blanket resting atop this hearty pasta casserole. Not only does the dish exude comfort and heft thanks to the beef-sausage meat sauce, but it also feeds a crowd.

Pastina means "little pasta," so you can use any small-shaped pasta for this dish. When baked with chicken, tomatoes and mozzarella, it becomes a cheesy indulgence the ultimate Italian comfort food.

We know people are particular about mac and cheese, and this recipe is for those who know that baked mac is the best mac. This perfect, classic macaroni and cheese is all about contrast, with a crunchy, buttery topping and a creamy, cheesy interior.

Tyler Florence dubbed this dish The Ultimate Lasagna with good reason: It's built in three generous layers of lasagna noodles, ricotta cheese and savory Bolognese sauce. If you can, prepare the Bolognese well in advance. That way, constructing the dish will be a breeze.

Ina's take on mac and cheese is a little unconventional, but when you think about it in the context of a grilled cheese paired with tomato bisque, it makes perfect sense. A dash of nutmeg brings out the nutty quality of Swiss Gruyère and cheddar cheese, while sliced tomatoes and crunchy breadcrumbs add flavor and texture.

Theres no shame in a little indulgence. And there's only one way to elevate baked mac and cheese to another level of comfort food: Stuff the pasta with more pasta!

The rigatoni in this dish comes together to form something both artful and delicious. Tender tubes of pasta are turned upright and filled with a creamy tomato-vodka sauce, turning a classic Italian dish into a vertical centerpiece.

Stuff shells with a creamy cheese mixture straight out of the box and never wait for a pot of water to boil again! Jarred sauce helps the shells bake to gooey perfection in the oven.

Store-bought creme fraiche is the key to making Giada's five ingredient recipe into a creamy baked pasta. It requires only 10 minutes of prep time and will be hot on the table in just 35 minutes.

The key to pulling off Giada's decadent baked pasta dish is all in the bechamel sauce — a creamy mixture of butter, flour and whole milk that makes the perfect rich coating for the rigatoni and prosciutto.

Layering is the name of the game when prepping Ree's family-friendly lasagna. She starts with noodles, then piles on a creamy mixture of cottage cheese and Parmesan, a sprinkle of mozzarella, and plenty of tomato meat sauce for craveable results.

The standard lasagna may call for tomato sauce, but Ina's top-rated recipe comes with a rich white sauce instead, which brings a creamy contrast to sauteed portobello mushrooms, grated Parmesan and lasagna noodles.

Lasagna flavors are given a party-stopping timpano presentation in this recipe. The lasagna noodles create a crisp shell for the traditional fillings within: meat sauce, cheese and sausage.

Baked Ziti is both a classic dish and a crowd pleaser. A duo of creamy mozzarella and nutty Parmesan creates the perfect blanket atop Robert Irvine's top-rated pasta casserole.

Filling uncooked manicotti shells with a chicken, cheese and spinach filling, then baking them to perfection in a creamy, rich Alfredo sauce just might be the quickest route to comfort food.

With spaghetti and mushroom sauce, and light and dark meat chicken with bell peppers, this casserole is like two meals in one. Cooking the spaghetti in the same liquid as the chicken infuses it with flavor, and the Cheddar thickens the sauce so it coats each piece of meat.

Giada's ultra-decadent lasagna calls for convenient no-boil lasagna noodles, but you can use fresh spinach lasagna sheets as a substitute. Look for fresh lasagna sheets in the refrigerated section of specialty markets.

Giada's Venetian-style mac and cheese is one of her favorites. Fontina and mozzarella cheese add creaminess while Parmesan adds a kick of salty flavor.

Ree's crowd-pleasing noodle bake features layers of savory browned beef, tender egg noodles, sour cream, green onions and lots of cheddar cheese. It's an easy addition to any potluck.

Mini meatballs preserve the flavor but cook faster than their full-sized counterparts, meaning you don't have to reserve them for days when you have time to make the full Sunday sauce. Ree's chunky homemade tomato sauce is just the thing to bind together this robust dish of penne pasta and plump mini meatballs.

Pan-fried pancetta and broccoli rabe add excellent color and texture to Deb Perelman's stunning spaghetti pie. Be liberal with the grated cheeses — that way, the exterior will develop a delicious golden-brown crust after baking.

When your favorite spinach and artichoke dip meets super creamy pasta shells, that's the epitome of cheesy, gooey goodness. Yes, you can eat spinach and artichoke dip for dinner!

Bursting with meaty, robust flavor, Giada's traditional manicotti is the quintessential comfort food. Once the manicotti are cooked to al dente perfection, enlist the kids' help in stuffing, rolling, then stacking them in your baking dish.

Tomato paste, heavy cream, and sweet chunks of lobster tail turn this macaroni and cheese into something truly decadent. The rich, velvety sauce makes it an easy choice for celebrations, holidays, and other special occasions.

This mash-up of lasagna and spaghetti with meat sauce makes for a warming one-pan dinner. (And if you start with leftover cooked noodles and meat sauce, you're set for a super-fast weeknight meal.) Assemble the casserole ahead of time and bake when you're ready to serve.

Some of the most impressive looking dishes are actually pretty easy to achive. By simply rolling up lasagna noodles and cheese and standing the pasta roll-ups on their sides, you can transform a traditional pasta dish into a work of art.

This hearty meal has a secret that's really going to set it apart from other baked pastas: cinnamon. Use it to season the meat in this classic Greek dish and wow everyone at the dinner table.