Name: Italian Pasta Bake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 12 oz Rotini Pasta Noodles; 1 lb Italian sausage or ground beef (or half of each); 1 small onion (diced); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1 jar (24 oz pasta sauce (any variety you like)); 1 tsp Italian seasoning; ½ tsp salt; ½ tsp black pepper; 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese; ½ cup grated Parmesan

This Italian Pasta Bake recipe is one of those easy dinner ideas you’ll keep coming back to. Tender pasta, hearty sausage, and melty cheese all come together in one delicious dish. It’s a timeless comfort food that’s not only satisfying but also perfect for enjoying the next day!

Close-up of a spoon scooping out a serving of Italian pasta bake.

Italian Food At Its Finest (& Simplest!)

The great thing about Italian recipes is, well, pasta + cheese, duh.

But you’ve also got to appreciate the simplicity of boiling the pasta, quickly sautéing your favorite fillings, and letting a rich tomato sauce simmer to perfection. It really is a straightforward process.

I’ll admit, your nonna could out-cook me with one hand tied behind her back. I’m more of a shortcuts-and-sneaky-hacks kinda gal. Because hey, life gets busy.

So for this Italian pasta bake, we keep things simple yet delicious. No homemade sauce, no hours spent in the kitchen—just a classic combination of pasta, meat, and cheese baked n’ bubbly.

If you’re interested in more pasta dishes that embody the essence of Italian cuisine, without all the effort, check out my Baked Spaghetti, Easy Baked Ziti, and Crock Pot Chicken Tetrazzini!

Ingredients

Rotini Pasta Noodles
Italian sausage and/or ground beef
Onion
Garlic
Pasta Sauce
Italian seasoning
Salt & black pepper
Mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese

Dipping a fork into cheesy pasta bake with fresh basil.

Easy Substitutions

Don’t have rotini? Use whichever noodle type you have! Although I wouldn’t recommend any of the longer or thinner noodles, but bowties, penne, ziti, rigatoni, farfalles, macaroni, etc. will work just fine.

No fresh garlic or onions in the house? Garlic powder and onion powder will do fine (just don’t tell nonna).

Prefer sweet Italian sausage? Throw it in. Spicy? That’s fine too. You could even mix and match the meat types to your preference. Pork or lamb or ground turkey are all great options.

Want to make your own homemade marinara sauce? Who am I to tell you no? Maybe just make it ahead of time.

Italian pasta bake on a black plate garnished with fresh basil.

How to Make My Italian Pasta Bake

1. To start, grease a 9×13” baking dish and preheat your oven to 375°F.

2. Next, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until it is just shy of al dente (about 1 to 2 minutes less than the package directions tell you), as it’ll finish cooking in the oven. Drain the pasta and set it aside.

3. In a large skillet, heat a little olive oil over medium-high heat, then brown the sausage with the onion over medium heat. Drain off the grease, then stir in the garlic, pasta sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to blend together.

Browning sausage and onion in a large pot.

Adding pasta sauce to browned sausage in a large pot.

4. In a large bowl (or right in the skillet if it’s big enough), mix the meat sauce with the cooked pasta. Then stir in 1 cup of mozzarella and the Parmesan.

Adding pasta to marinara sauce in a large pot.

Adding parmesan cheese to pasta in a pot.

5. Now pour the meat-pasta-cheese mixture into your prepared baking dish, then top with the remaining ½ cup of mozzarella.

Pasta in a glass casserole dish before adding a layer of mozzarella cheese on top.

A layer of mozzarella cheese on pasta in a glass casserole dish before going in the oven.

6. Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

7. Once out of the oven, let your finished Italian pasta bake rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This will deepen the flavor and allows the cheese to set just a little (basically, fewer molten, gooey cheese splatters when serving).

If you’re feeling fancy, you can top individual servings with slivers of fresh basil. Enjoy!

Italian pasta bake in a glass casserole dish right out of the oven.

Looking for Sides?

No pasta recipe would be complete with some crusty garlic bread! If you’re making homemade garlic bread, try my Zesty Garlic Bread Seasoning!

You could also balance out all the carbs with some good greens. This Super Food Salad would make a great appetizer, or serve your pasta with some Fresh Green Beans or Roasted Asparagus on the side.

Close-up of fork dipping into an Italian pasta bake with fresh basil.

Storage

You can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Reheat your pasta in the microwave, or, for the best results, heat it up in a pan on the stove with a bit of olive oil or butter to crisp up any noodles that may have softened from being stored.