Tomato and Mozzarella Pasta Bake
The weeknight bake that feeds six and reheats well.
Recipe Author
Riff Kitchen@riffkitchen
Tomato and Mozzarella Pasta Bake
The weeknight bake that feeds six and reheats well.
By Riff KitchenOn Riff.kitchen, recipes start from what is already in your fridge. Add what you have, and it plans around whatever goes off first.
- 15 prep · 50 cook
- 1 hr 5 min
- servings
- 6
- effort
- Easy
Nonna's note
Undercook the pasta by three minutes, not one. It keeps absorbing sauce in the oven, and pasta cooked properly first will be mush by the time the top browns.
Method
6 steps · tap one to tick it off
Tips
Drain fresh mozzarella well. Mozzarella packed in water releases liquid as it bakes and thins the sauce. Tear it and let it sit on paper towels, or use low-moisture mozzarella.
Save some pasta water. The pasta keeps absorbing sauce in the oven. If the mix looks tight once tossed, loosen it with a splash so the bake does not come out dry.
Use a wide, shallow dish. More surface means more blistered cheese, and a shallow layer heats through evenly in the 20 to 25 minutes.
Swaps
No penne pasta? Rigatoni, ziti or fusilli, boiled 3 minutes short of the packet time in the same way.
No fresh basil? A pinch of dried basil or oregano, simmered in the sauce instead of torn in at the end.
No parmesan cheese? Pecorino Romano, which is saltier, or more mozzarella for a milder top.
Storage
Fridge: 3 to 4 days in a sealed container.
Freezer: 2 to 3 months for best quality. The pasta comes back softer.
Reheat: Covered with foil in a 180°C oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until steaming hot (75°C in the center).
Fridge and reheating follow Illinois Extension; freezer times are for quality and follow the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, as on what freezes and what does not.
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Nonna's note
Undercook the pasta by three minutes, not one. It keeps absorbing sauce in the oven, and pasta cooked properly first will be mush by the time the top browns.
Instructions
Follow the steps to perfection.
Tips
Drain fresh mozzarella well. Mozzarella packed in water releases liquid as it bakes and thins the sauce. Tear it and let it sit on paper towels, or use low-moisture mozzarella.
Save some pasta water. The pasta keeps absorbing sauce in the oven. If the mix looks tight once tossed, loosen it with a splash so the bake does not come out dry.
Use a wide, shallow dish. More surface means more blistered cheese, and a shallow layer heats through evenly in the 20 to 25 minutes.
Swaps
No penne pasta? Rigatoni, ziti or fusilli, boiled 3 minutes short of the packet time in the same way.
No fresh basil? A pinch of dried basil or oregano, simmered in the sauce instead of torn in at the end.
No parmesan cheese? Pecorino Romano, which is saltier, or more mozzarella for a milder top.
Storage
Fridge: 3 to 4 days in a sealed container.
Freezer: 2 to 3 months for best quality. The pasta comes back softer.
Reheat: Covered with foil in a 180°C oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until steaming hot (75°C in the center).
Fridge and reheating follow Illinois Extension; freezer times are for quality and follow the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, as on what freezes and what does not.
Made it?
Tap a star to rate it.
Community Reviews 0
No reviews yet. Be the first to try this!
Riff Assistant
Ready to Remix