Pinterest Image – Easy 50-Minute Cheesy Pasta Bake

Pinterest Image is the kind of dish that makes people stop scrolling – a bubbling, golden-topped pasta bake layered with marinara, three cheeses, and a creamy ricotta center. It looks like a magazine cover but comes together with pantry staples and one baking dish.

The trick is par-cooking the penne just shy of al dente so it finishes absorbing sauce in the oven instead of turning mushy. A quick broil at the end gives you those dramatic browned cheese edges that photograph beautifully and taste even better.

Serve it straight from the dish with a crisp green salad and torn basil. It is equally good at a weeknight table or a potluck where you need something that travels well and disappears fast.

About the Ingredients

1 lb (450g) penne rigate

Ridged penne holds sauce better than smooth tubes. Substitute ziti or rigatoni if penne is unavailable, but add 2 minutes to the boil.

24 oz (680g) jarred marinara sauce

Use a good-quality sauce with no added sugar for the cleanest flavor. A 24-ounce jar of crushed San Marzano tomatoes plus 1 teaspoon salt works as a substitute.

15 oz (425g) whole-milk ricotta

Whole-milk ricotta stays creamy; part-skim turns grainy when baked. Drain it in a fine-mesh sieve for 10 minutes if it looks watery.

2 cups (225g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella

Low-moisture mozzarella browns and stretches without releasing puddles. Fresh mozzarella is too wet here – save it for caprese.

1/2 cup (50g) finely grated parmesan

Grate it fresh from a wedge for the best melt and salty bite. Pre-shredded parmesan contains anti-caking starch that clumps.

1 large egg

The egg binds the ricotta layer so it slices cleanly. Substitute 3 tablespoons of beaten egg white if you avoid yolks.

2 cloves garlic, minced

Fresh garlic gives a sharper finish than garlic powder. Jarred minced garlic is an acceptable shortcut – use 1 teaspoon.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Use a mid-range olive oil for cooking; reserve the expensive peppery bottle for finishing. Avocado oil is a neutral substitute.

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Crush it between your palms before adding to release the oils. Dried basil or an Italian seasoning blend substitutes one-for-one.

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Kosher salt dissolves more evenly than table salt. If using table salt, reduce to 1/3 teaspoon.

1/4 cup (10g) fresh basil leaves, torn

Add most of the basil to the sauce and save a few leaves for the top. Fresh parsley is a fine swap if basil is out of season.

Tips & Tricks

Undercook the pasta by 2 minutes

Boil the penne to just shy of al dente so it absorbs sauce in the oven without turning to mush.

Drain the ricotta well

Ten minutes in a sieve prevents a watery, curdled center layer.

Rest before slicing

Let the bake sit 10 minutes after leaving the oven so the layers set and servings hold their shape.

Broil with the door cracked

Watch the cheese constantly during the final broil – it goes from golden to burnt in under 30 seconds.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Heat oven and boil water

Preheat the oven to 375F (190C) and bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Position a rack in the middle of the oven.

2. Cook the penne

Boil the penne for 2 minutes less than the package directions, about 8 minutes, until it is firm at the center but no longer chalky. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

3. Build the sauce

Warm the remaining olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the garlic and oregano, and cook 45 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Stir in the marinara and simmer 5 minutes until slightly thickened and bubbling at the edges.

4. Mix the ricotta layer

Whisk the ricotta with the egg, half the parmesan, the salt, pepper, and most of the basil until smooth and spreadable.

5. Combine pasta and sauce

Fold the drained penne into the sauce off the heat until every piece is coated. If it looks dry, add 2 tablespoons of reserved pasta water.

6. Layer the bake

Spread half the pasta in a 9×13-inch baking dish, dot with half the ricotta mixture, then scatter 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat with the remaining pasta and ricotta, then top with the rest of the mozzarella and parmesan.

7. Bake until bubbling

Bake uncovered at 375F (190C) for 25 minutes, until the edges bubble and the center reaches 165F (74C) on an instant-read thermometer. The cheese should be melted and lightly golden.

8. Broil for golden edges

Switch to broil on high and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown in spots. Watch closely – it can scorch in seconds.

9. Rest and serve

Rest the dish 10 minutes so the layers set, then scatter with the reserved basil and slice into six portions.

Delicious Variations

Spicy Sausage Bake

Brown 12 ounces of hot Italian sausage and fold it into the sauce for a meaty, spicy version.

Vegetable Loaded

Stir 2 cups of roasted zucchini, mushrooms, and spinach into the pasta before layering for a veggie-forward bake.

Chicken Alfredo Twist

Swap the marinara for 2 cups of Alfredo sauce and add 2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken.

How to Store Pinterest Image

Frequently Asked Questions

If you make this Pinterest Image pasta bake, snap a photo of those golden edges and leave a comment below – I read every one and love hearing what you swapped in.

Pinterest Image

Pinterest Image is a cheesy, saucy pasta bake with golden bubbling edges that feeds 6 hungry people and reheats beautifully all week.

★★★★½ 4.8 (213 ratings)

15 minPrep time35 minCook time6Servings485 kcalCalories

Print RecipePin Recipe

🧂 Ingredients

• 1 lb (450g) penne rigate
• 24 oz (680g) jarred marinara sauce
• 15 oz (425g) whole-milk ricotta
• 2 cups (225g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella
• 1/2 cup (50g) finely grated parmesan
• 1 large egg
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup (10g) fresh basil leaves, torn

📋 Instructions

1. 1Heat oven and boil water — Preheat the oven to 375F (190C) and bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Position a rack in the middle of the oven.
2. 2Cook the penne — Boil the penne for 2 minutes less than the package directions, about 8 minutes, until it is firm at the center but no longer chalky. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
3. 3Build the sauce — Warm the remaining olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the garlic and oregano, and cook 45 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Stir in the marinara and simmer 5 minutes until slightly thickened and bubbling at the edges.
4. 4Mix the ricotta layer — Whisk the ricotta with the egg, half the parmesan, the salt, pepper, and most of the basil until smooth and spreadable.
5. 5Combine pasta and sauce — Fold the drained penne into the sauce off the heat until every piece is coated. If it looks dry, add 2 tablespoons of reserved pasta water.
6. 6Layer the bake — Spread half the pasta in a 9×13-inch baking dish, dot with half the ricotta mixture, then scatter 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat with the remaining pasta and ricotta, then top with the rest of the mozzarella and parmesan.
7. 7Bake until bubbling — Bake uncovered at 375F (190C) for 25 minutes, until the edges bubble and the center reaches 165F (74C) on an instant-read thermometer. The cheese should be melted and lightly golden.
8. 8Broil for golden edges — Switch to broil on high and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown in spots. Watch closely – it can scorch in seconds.
9. 9Rest and serve — Rest the dish 10 minutes so the layers set, then scatter with the reserved basil and slice into six portions.

👨‍🍳 Chef's Note: For the crispest cheese edges, use a metal or ceramic baking dish rather than glass, which browns more slowly on the bottom.

Servings: 6

Cuisine: Italian-American

Course: Main Course

Nutrition (per serving): 485 kcal · 24g protein · 52g carbs · 20g fat