We love pasta in all of its shapes and forms, but there's something extra comforting about when it gets baked in the oven to get golden brown and crispy.
Oh, baked pasta - whether in the form of lasagna or ziti or anything in between, this is our official love letter. While we still find a great deal of comfort in dishes like Gricia or Aglio e Olio, there's an unparalleled sense of coziness that comes with digging into a bubbly, cheesy casserole of noodles. It's the kind of soul-nourishing and stick-to-your-ribs dish that we're all about right now - in times of uncertainty, food is still there for us. Especially Giada's baked pasta recipes.
Giada's Baked Pasta Recipes
Sheet Pan Layerless Lasagna
Lovers of crispy lasagna edges, this one's for you! Giada's viral spin on the classic dish has become one of our most popular recipes! Not only is it easier (no tedious layering required) but it ensures more perfectly crisp bites all throughout. Broken up lasagna pieces, ortaccole pasta, make it feel more layered than your average baked pasta. Feel free to assemble this ahead of time and refrigerate until it's time to serve - then pop it in the oven when it's time to eat!
Baked Bolognese
Bolognese is never a bad idea. When it’s a dish you can completely make ahead, leaving nothing left but to bake it off on the big day with the same delicious results as baking it the same day, it’s agreatidea! The fun sailors knot pasta shape fills every bite with pure joy.
Baked Penne With roasted Vegetables
The best way to get all your veggies in? Tossed with pasta, cheese, and baked until bubbly perfection.
Ziti Stufati
This classic Italian recipe consists of a tomato and ricotta sauce poured over lots of little meatballs, ziti pasta and hardboiled eggs (though Giada often "forgets" to add the eggs - make it to your taste!). In Italian, "stufati" means "stewed," and in this recipe it refers to the way the meatballs and pasta continue to simmer away while this pasta bakes to cheesy perfection.
Baked Manfredi Lunghi Pasta With Butternut Squash Sauce and Sausage
Lovers of crispy pasta, this fall spin on oursheet pan layerless lasagnais going to be right up your alley. Creamy butternut squash puree paired with sage, spicy sausage and rapini are already a perfect match, and topping it all off with dollops of spicy ricotta turns this into one truly delicious dish.
Beef and Cheese Manicotti
There is something so satisfying not just to eating this dish, but making it, too! These giant manicotti are stuffed with a mixture of ground beef, ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan, then doused in marinara, sprinkled with cheese and dotted with butter. It's as good as it sounds!
Creamy Parmesan Baked Pasta
Think baked mac and cheese, but with an irresistible Italian spin of Parmesan and Provolone. This is everything we want in a cheesy, bubble pasta - and some broccoli speckled in so we can still feel a bit virtuous about it!
Baked Paccheri
Paccheri is one of our all-time favorite pasta shapes around, and thisPaccheri Al Forno(aka, baked paccheri!) is a classic way to cook it in southern Italy. Filling each tube of pasta with a flavorful sausage and ricotta mixture is reminiscent of stuffed cannelloni or lasagna rolls, and it’s extra delicious with the perfect al dente chew of Giadzy pasta.
Baked Lemon Ziti
Giada has a knack for pairing decadent and comforting textures with the bright flavor of lemon, and this dish is a perfect example. It's everything cheesy, gooey and wonderful you want in a baked pasta, but with the fresh flavor of lemon all throughout.
Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina
This dish, even if you've never made it, just carries some kind of comforting nostalgic energy all on its own. It's a simply-flavored and delicious meal that kids adore, but it absolutely hits the spot for the grown-ups too! "Pastina," while a name for a pasta shape on its own, just refers to any kind of short little pasta in this recipe, so use whatever you have.
Lasagna Rolls
While classic lasagna is always on the table for a comforting dinner, there's something extra satisfying about lasagna rolls - individual little bundles of pasta, prosciutto, spinach and cheese!
Pasta Alla Formiana
What makes this pasta so unique is that the noodles go into the oven raw, and soak up all the flavorful sauce as it bakes in the oven. PS - this one is completely vegan!
Baked Bechamel Pasta
It doesn't get much more comforting than this baked bechamel pasta with prosciutto - think of it like an updated, gourmet spin on mac and cheese!
Baked Penne With Squash And Goat Cheese
The combination of sweet winter squash and goat cheese is absolutely delicious, and it shines in this cozy fall-and-winter pasta.
FAQs
If there's anything more comforting than boiled pasta in a sauce, it's got to be baked pasta in a sauce. The baking adds a crispy crust that is such a delicious contrast to the tender goodness of the dish. The challenge is to how to get the pasta to turn out just right.
Should I cover my pasta bake in the oven? ›
Cover very tightly with a double layer of aluminum foil and bake for an hour. At that point the pasta will be cooked, but I like to add some shredded cheese to the top and put it back into the oven, uncovered, to melt the cheese. Then the pasta bake NEEDS TO REST for 15 minutes before serving.
Do you put a lid on pasta bake? ›
Cover the dish with foil and bake the casserole for 35 minutes at 350°F. Lastly, remove the foil and bake the casserole for 10-15 more minutes until the cheese is bubbly! For tips on making a non-vegetarian pasta bake, read on!
What is the best pasta shape for baked pasta? ›
For Baked Pasta Dishes
As for picking the perfect pasta shape, we recommend choosing a short cut—like Penne, Shells or Rigatoni—with hollow middles, twists or scoop-like shapes to capture all the goodness of your baked pasta: sauces, small ingredients and melty cheeses galore.
Why is pasta so much better in Italy? ›
What makes the pasta in Italy so much better than the pasta in the U.S.? Quality of pasta itself: the wheat, the bronze dye, the slow drying process. Water should be as salty as the sea for cooking pasta. Most American restaurants shy away from this practice to protect the pots.
How do you keep baked pasta moist? ›
You need to cover the pasta somehow. One way is to put a lid (or foil) over the top .. the other is to cover the past with a layer of grated cheese. Otherwise the moisture in the food will dry out and the top layer will be hard. Whenever I cook large pasta shells, they all fit into each other, and stick together.
Should you fully cook pasta before baking? ›
But what it does mean for a home cook is this: Any time you are planning on baking pasta in a casserole, there is no need to precook it. All you have to do is soak it while you make your sauce, then combine the two and bake.
Can you use any sauce for pasta bake? ›
In order to keep pasta bake on the healthy side, I recommend using a tomato-based sauce. It's so easy and inexpensive to make your own, but if you're pushed for time, any shop-bought tomato-based pasta sauce will be fine.
Can I put uncooked pasta in the oven? ›
Meet the no-boil pasta bake. Yes, this pasta casserole doesn't even require cooked pasta — just dried. It will take you five minutes to prep for the oven — no, I'm not exaggerating. Pour some dry pasta into a casserole dish, open a can of tomatoes, dump in some cheese and garlic, and bang the whole thing into the oven.
Do you put foil on pasta bake? ›
COMBINE uncooked pasta, 1 jar of Sauce and 1 jar of water in a 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Cover with aluminum foil. BAKE 30 minutes.
Wait until the water comes to a rapid, aggressive boil before adding your pasta. Throwing in the pasta too early when the water isn't hot enough can result in some sticky, gummy noodles. Patience, friend. Stir right away — and every couple minutes.
What makes pasta taste better? ›
The water you cook pasta in should be as salty as the Mediterranean sea – add about 2 teaspoons of fine grain sea salt per litre (33 ounces) of water. That way your pasta has some flavour before you add the sauce – so you need to work less hard to make everything taste amazing.
What vegetables are good in pasta? ›
Fresh veggies: Zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, bell peppers, red onion, and grape tomatoes. Flavor-makers: Garlic, dried oregano, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper, and fresh lemon zest. Pasta: A short pasta is best for making sure everything is bite-sized.
Why is homemade pasta so good? ›
If you've never had fresh pasta before, you're in for a treat! Its chewy, bouncy texture and rich flavor make it so much better than the dried pasta at the store. In fact, these noodles are so good that we usually serve them really simply.
What makes pasta so delicious? ›
The tangy, salty, spicy and sometimes a tad sweet taste is just mouthwatering. There is little that that could go wrong with this delicacy. You can even add other things as in meatballs, lasagna etc that blends in with pasta just perfectly. The flavor and aroma of pasta are what makes it so popular among people.
What's the difference between lasagna and baked pasta? ›
Baked ziti is tossed with an extruder style, dried pasta similar to a penne, and then tossed with marinara sauce, ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, and then baked in the oven. Lasagna is made by layering pasta sheets, often fresh pasta sheets, marinara sauce, ricotta cheese and mozzarella, and then baked.
Why does pasta make you feel good? ›
When you eat pasta, your body converts the carbs into serotonin, which can help improve your mood and make you feel happier. Pasta is also a great source of B vitamins, which are known to play a role in regulating mood and reducing stress.
