Bolognese Pasta Bake (Printable)
Comforting oven-baked pasta with rich meat sauce and golden melted cheese topping. Perfect family dinner ready in one hour.
# Ingredient List:
→ For the Bolognese Sauce
01 - 2 tbsp olive oil
02 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 carrots, diced
04 - 2 celery sticks, diced
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1.1 lbs ground beef
07 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
08 - 28 oz canned chopped tomatoes
09 - 1 tsp dried oregano
10 - 1 tsp dried basil
11 - 1 bay leaf
12 - 1 tsp salt
13 - ½ tsp ground black pepper
14 - ½ cup red wine (optional)
15 - 1 tsp sugar
→ For the Pasta
16 - 14 oz dried rigatoni or penne pasta
17 - 1 tbsp salt (for pasta water)
→ For the Cheese Topping
18 - 5.3 oz grated mozzarella cheese
19 - 1.8 oz grated Parmesan cheese
# How to Make:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion, carrots, celery, and garlic for 5 minutes until softened.
03 - Add ground beef and cook, stirring, until browned.
04 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, then add chopped tomatoes, oregano, basil, bay leaf, salt, pepper, red wine (if using), and sugar.
05 - Simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens. Remove the bay leaf.
06 - Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
07 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta with the Bolognese sauce.
08 - Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased baking dish. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top.
09 - Bake in the preheated oven for 15–20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
10 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce develops incredible depth during oven time, deeper than stove top Bolognese alone ever achieves
- Leftovers actually taste better the next day, if they last that long
02 -
- Undercooking the pasta by two minutes is non negotiable, or it turns mushy after baking
- Letting the dish rest for five minutes out of the oven helps the sauce set slightly for cleaner serving
03 -
- Grating your own Parmesan instead of buying pre grated makes a noticeable difference in melting and flavor
- Use the largest skillet you own so the sauce reduces properly and does not stay watery