Easy Baked Pasta Recipes for Fast and Comforting Fall Dinners
We’ll never say no to pasta for dinner, especially recipes where your oven (and not the stovetop) does most of the work, like these 40 baked pasta dinners. They’re comforting, cheesy, and delightfully carb-y, and we almost don’t think they could get any better...But wait, there’s more! The best part about these baked pasta recipes is how truly versatile they are. They’re fancy enough to share with guests (seriously, who wouldn’t be pleased to be served Boursin baked ziti?), but cozy and hearty enough to feed your whole crew on a weeknight.
Looking for something easy peasy that you can whip up without much effort? Our 4 cheese gnocchi bake, our no-boil baked chicken pasta, and our bolognese baked tortellini are all recipes that don’t even require a pot for boiling your noodles before baking. Okay with an extra step, but still don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen for hours? Our baked mac & cheese, our primavera baked orzo, and our pasta moussaka perfectly fit the bill.
Many of these recipes are also incredible for picky eaters, especially those who are in that phase where they only want to eat one thing. If that thing is pizza, you’re in luck; we’ve got 5 recipes here inspired by it, from a pasta-filled pizza casserole to pizza mac & cheese. Trust us, kids (and adults who just feel like ones) are going to flip.
Craving pasta, but want to really impress? You’ve gotta try one of our classic Italian baked pasta recipes like our baked ziti or classic lasagna. They do take a bit more effort than, say, our shortcut versions, like our ravioli lasagna or our lasagna roll-ups, but they are so worth it. Bonus: we’ve got tons of tips to getting them just right that will be invaluable for all the pasta recipes you make from here on out.
Want even more pasta in your life? Check out our favorite chicken & pasta recipes, our top Italian pastas, and our best gnocchi and orzo recipes too.
Baked Ziti
After 5 rounds of testing, we finally found the ideal combination of flavors and effort for this baked ziti—it’s got rich ricotta and a meaty, tomato-based sauce, thrown together in a dish and baked with your pasta.
Get the Baked Ziti recipe.
Homemade Lasagna
Based on the traditional lasagna alla Bolognese from the Emilia-Romagna province in Italy, we grabbed what we loved most about the timeless, classic recipe and simplified it to make it weeknight-friendly.
Get the Homemade Lasagna recipe.
Boursin Baked Ziti
Many white baked ziti recipes call for swapping out the marinara for béchamel sauce, but a mixture of Boursin, ricotta, and heavy cream is much simpler—and super delicious. The Boursin, which is packed with garlic and herbs, adds instant flavor to the sauce, and it melts like a dream.
Get the Boursin Baked Ziti recipe.
Chicken Alfredo Bake
Think of this as a creamier baked ziti. Penne tossed with creamy Alfredo sauce, chicken, and (a lot) of mozzarella—need we say more?
Get the Chicken Alfredo Bake recipe.
Baked Spaghetti
This casserole is what comfort food is all about—cheesy, hearty, and completely versatile to whatever you have on hand. Ready in around an hour, this is the simplest and most satisfying dish when you're looking to truly please, without heaps of extra effort.
Get the Baked Spaghetti recipe.
Baked Mostaccioli
Mostaccioli is a hearty baked pasta that's perfect for a weeknight dinner. It's essentially an easier version of lasagna, made with penne. Top it with plenty of cheese and you'll soon have a new favorite to add to the rotation.
Get the Baked Mostaccioli recipe.
Vegetarian Baked Ziti
Wanna pack this baked ziti with even MORE veggies? Try throwing in some chopped red peppers, sliced zucchini, or swap the spinach for kale! Just because it's carb-y and cheesy doesn't mean it has to be totally void of veg.
Get the Vegetarian Baked Ziti recipe.
Pizza Casserole
From the realms of cheesy pizza and bubbling baked pasta comes a new family favorite: pizza casserole. Loaded with sausage, veggies, and plenty of cheese, this easy weeknight dinner has all of the cheesy, tomato-filled goodness of our favorite take-out pizza, neatly packaged in a 13"-by-9" pan.
Get the Pizza Casserole recipe.
Vegan Lasagna
Tofu replaces ricotta in this vegan version of classic lasagna. Add that to a béchamel-inspired white sauce, and you've got a vegan dinner that won't make you feel at all deprived.
Get the Vegan Lasagna recipe.
Spaghetti Lasagna
It shouldn't be a surprise how absolutely amazing this baked pasta is; we're working with some all-star Italian ingredients, after all. But this lasagna mash-up is so much more fun than anything you'll find at a trattoria. Word of advice: Go for a corner piece. The crispy lacy edges are everything.
Get the Spaghetti Lasagna recipe.
Ravioli Lasagna
Pasta night is better when your two favorites—ravioli and lasagna—combine. Italian food will never be the same.
Get the Ravioli Lasagna recipe.
Stuffed Rigatoni
When we first found out "stuffed rigatoni" was a popular search term, we were stumped. Why not just buy ravioli? Then we tried it ourselves. There's something incredible about the way the ridges soak up the sauce, and the fact that the lemony ricotta-Parm mixture bursts a little with each bite.
Get the Stuffed Rigatoni recipe.
Baked Mac & Cheese
Baked mac & cheese has a bad reputation for being gummy, soggy, and downright inedible. This is the recipe to fix all of that.
Get the Baked Mac & Cheese recipe.
No-Boil Baked Chicken Pasta
Pasta dinners have a reputation for being quick, but let's be honest: Bringing a pot of water to a boil takes forever. Enter this clever no-boil baked chicken pasta, which allows the oven to do the work.
Get the No-Boil Baked Chicken Pasta recipe.
Sheet-Pan Burrata Caprese Gnocchi
Roasting gives the gnocchi a slightly browned exterior while still maintaining a pillowy, chewy interior. To accompany the gnocchi, we are utilizing the flavors of a Caprese salad without relying on the seasonality of tomatoes. Enter beautiful and perfectly sweet bell peppers.
Get the Sheet-Pan Burrata Caprese Gnocchi recipe.
Primavera Baked Orzo
This one-pan dinner is inspired by classic baked ziti, but with a spring-y twist. Paired with al dente orzo and a light cream sauce, this hearty dinner is the perfect way to celebrate the return of longer days and warmer temperatures.
Get the Primavera Baked Orzo recipe.
Creamy Kale & Gnocchi Bake
Fans of creamed spinach will absolutely love this hearty bake that puts the classic side dish front-and-center on your plate with gnocchi as the main attraction. It's quick to put together since the gnocchi cook right in the sauce, making them extra creamy and delicious.
Get the Creamy Kale & Gnocchi Bake recipe.
Cheese Manicotti
These manicotti are the epitome of comfort food. When you're craving cheese and carbs, there's really nothing better.
Get the Cheese Manicotti recipe.
Pasta Moussaka
This labor of love marries classic Greek eggplant moussaka with baked ziti, turning it into an eye-catching beauty of a pasta dinner that's easy enough for weeknights, but special enough for guests too.
Get the Pasta Moussaka recipe.
Pastitsio
Derived from the Italian word pasticcio, which means “mix” or “hodgepodge,” pastitsio is a classic Greek casserole best described as a cross between lasagna and moussaka. Rich and hearty, creamy and comforting, it’s well worth the extra effort it takes to put together.
Get the Pastitsio recipe.
Southern Baked Mac & Cheese
Chef Millie Peartree's baked mac & cheese is famous for many reasons, the top of which is that she puts an ENTIRE layer of extra cheese in between two layers of (already cheesy) macaroni. Game. Changer.
Get the Southern Baked Mac & Cheese recipe.
Creamy Pesto Baked Gnocchi & Chicken Skillet
Pesto is a sauce that turns any dish into kitchen gold, especially this totally comforting and delicious gnocchi and chicken bake. For the perfect touch, stir a dollop into the tomato mixture to coat everything, then dollop the top with more right out of the oven for a fresh finish.
Get the Creamy Pesto Baked Gnocchi & Chicken Skillet recipe.
Pizza Tortellini Bake
Attention pizza lovers! This cheesy tortellini skillet is calling your name. Mix and match your favorite toppings and make this the personal "pizza" of your dreams.
Get the Pizza Tortellini Bake recipe.
Spinach Artichoke Tortellini Bake
This spinach artichoke dip-inspired sauce is so simple and delicious, you might be tempted to eat it before ever adding the pasta. Trust us, this dish is worth the wait!
Get the Spinach Artichoke Tortellini Bake recipe.
Bolognese Baked Tortellini
Waiting for a big pot of water to boil is the worst. In this baked pasta, you can skip all that. The tortellini magically bakes in the bolognese until it's perfectly cooked!
Get the Bolognese Baked Tortellini recipe.
Pizza Rigatoni Pie
The noodles in this stunning dish—also known as honeycomb pasta—get filled with ricotta and bake standing up in a springform pan for some serious WOW factor.
Get the Pizza Rigatoni Pie recipe.
Spanakopita Stuffed Shells
Though shells stuffed with spinach isn't groundbreaking, we tweak that template here by adding feta, dill, and scallions. The result is a spanakopita-inspired twist that might be better than the original.
Get the Spanakopita Stuffed Shells recipe.
Four-Cheese Gnocchi Bake
This baked pasta recipe doesn't require any pre-boiling of your gnocchi—simply make your cream sauce, pour it over the gnocchi, and bake!
Get the Four-Cheese Gnocchi Bake recipe.
Garlicky Alfredo Shrimp Bake
For this casserole, shrimp is tossed in an easy from-scratch Alfredo and cooked penne and baked until you have cheesy goodness.
Get the Garlicky Alfredo Shrimp Bake recipe.
Turkey Tetrazzini
Baked spaghetti is studded with turkey, mushrooms, and cheese for an easy weeknight meal everyone is sure to love. This easy casserole is more than just a way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey (though it's great for that too!).
Get the Turkey Tetrazzini recipe.
Lasagna Roll-Ups
Classic lasagna, as much as we adore it, can be extremely time-consuming. These roll-ups come together in no time and couldn't be more delicious. The spinach and ricotta filling is quick and simple and still every bit as comforting as the traditional.
Get the Lasagna Roll-Ups recipe.
Chicken Alfredo Roll-Ups
Shredded rotisserie chicken, lasagna noodles, and Alfredo sauce make these roll-ups are a dreamy, creamy weeknight dinner masterpiece.
Get the Chicken Alfredo Roll-Ups recipe.
Sweet Noodle Kugel
Kugel is basically the Yiddish/Jewish word for casserole. While there are many savory versions (such as this giant-latke-esque potato kugel), we have a soft spot in our hearts for sweet noodle kugel that's not too sweet with just a hint of cinnamon.
Get the Sweet Noodle Kugel recipe.
Caprese Chicken Lasagna
A Caprese salad will always be a favorite, but it's not the most family-friendly or filling meal. The fix? Adding chicken and turning it into lasagna. Bellissimo!
Get the Caprese Chicken Lasagna recipe.
Spinach Lasagna
Spinach replaces meat in this vegetarian-friendly take on lasagna. Trust us, it'll win over even the most die-hard of meat lovers.
Get the Spinach Lasagna recipe.
Chicken Tetrazzini
Turkey tetrazzini is one of our all-time favorites when it comes to comforting, reliable weeknight dinners, but depending on the time of year, good fresh turkey can be hard to find. Enter: this chicken version, which is just as creamy and delicious, and comes together in under an hour.
Get the Chicken Tetrazzini recipe.
Pizza Mac & Cheese
Just when you thought you couldn't love pizza any more, we turned it into mac & cheese. We used penne here, but feel free to swap in whatever you've got.
Get the Pizza Mac & Cheese recipe.
Three Cheese Cauliflower Gnocchi Bake
Underneath all that cheesy goodness, this cheesy casserole swaps out the traditional pasta for store-bought cauliflower gnocchi. There might be no better way for you (and your kids!) to get in extra veggies.
Get the Three Cheese Cauliflower Gnocchi Bake recipe.
Pizzagna
Pizzagna is the genius combo of lasagna and pizza. The two were made to be together, and this recipe is the proof.
Get the Pizzagna recipe.
Sheet-Pan Mac & Cheese
Love the crunchy bits of mac & cheese? This sheet pan recipe is FULL of 'em.
Get the Sheet-Pan Mac & Cheese recipe.
You Might Also Like
