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This Baked Mostaccioli recipe features pasta in homemade meat sauce layered with a ricotta cheese mixture and topped with freshly grated mozzarella. It’s an easy pasta bake that the entire family will enjoy!
Mostaccioli pasta is similar to penne with short, tubular, and textured noodles. This baked mostacioli recipe is one of the classic ways to prepare it, tossed with tomato sauce and layered with a ricotta cheese mixture. It’s pretty similar to lasagna in flavor, simply trading the lasagna noodles for shorter noodles already tossed with sauce.
Why I Love This Baked Mostaccioli Recipe
- Super flavorful. There are so many flavors in this recipe, from the rich homemade tomato sauce to the ground beef and sweet Italian sausage to three different types of cheese. Every bite is packed with flavor!
- Easier than lasagna. As I mentioned above, baked mostaccioli has very similar ingredients to classic lasagna. The biggest difference is that it’s SO much easier to make and there’s no need to meticulously layer the noodles.
- Great leftovers. This is one of the dishes where I hope there are leftovers because they store well and taste just as good the next day. It’s a great dish to make ahead too!
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s an overview of the ingredients used in this pasta bake. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Olive oil
- Aromatics – Diced onion and minced garlic add flavor to the meat sauce.
- Ground beef & sausage – I use equal parts lean ground beef and sweet Italian sausage in my pasta bake for more variety in flavor.
- Spices – Salt, pepper, Italian seasoning & red pepper flakes.
- Tomato paste – Adds a rich tomato flavor to the sauce.
- Crushed tomatoes – The base of the sauce.
- Fresh parsley – Parsley adds a fresh, earthy flavor to the sauce.
- Mostaccioli pasta – The namesake ingredient of the recipe.
- Ricotta cheese – I recommend whole milk ricotta for the best flavor and texture.
- Egg
- Pecorino Romano – Freshly grated parmesan also works.
- Mozzarella cheese – I recommend freshly shredded mozzarella if at all possible. I always opt for part-skim mozzarella.
How To Make Mostaccioli
While there are several steps to making this dish, many of them can happen simultaneously and the final 30 minutes is hands-off bake time. The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease the casserole dish.
- Cook the meat. Saute the diced onion in olive oil for 3-4 minutes then stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the ground beef and sausage. Cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking it into crumbles with a spoon, until fully cooked. Drain any excess grease.
- Simmer the sauce. Stir in the tomato paste, half of the salt and pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, and the red pepper flakes. Cook for a minute. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, water, and parsley. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
- Cook the pasta. At the same time, cook the pasta in salted water to al dente. Drain.
- Make the cheese mixture. Combine the ricotta, egg, Pecorino Romano, and the seasonings in a bowl.
- Assemble. Stir the pasta into the sauce mixture. Spread half of the pasta mixture into the baking dish. Top with the ricotta mixture then add the remaining pasta sauce. Top with the shredded mozzarella and remaining Pecorino Romano.
- Bake. Cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
Here are a few ways to customize this baked mostaccioli recipe.
- Add more veggies. Add sautéed mushrooms, spinach, or diced bell peppers to the sauce for extra vegetables.
- Try a different protein. Use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef and sausage for a lighter option.
- Adjust the heat level. Adjust the crushed red pepper flakes to your desired heat level or omit entirely for a milder dish.
- Use different pasta. Penne or rigatoni can be used in place of mostaccioli if needed. I guess it wouldn’t TECHNICALLY be baked mostaccioli at that point but it would still be a delicious pasta bake!
- Make it ahead. Prepare the dish up to the baking step, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bake as directed when ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions
Baked mostaccioli makes a wonderful complete meal on its own. I’ll often start the meal with a fresh salad, like my Olive Garden salad or wedge salad, just to add some more veggies. Breadsticks are also great for making sure all the sauce gets soaked up!
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or cover the entire dish with foil and warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven until heated through.
- Freezer. Assemble the dish but do not bake. Cover tightly with foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking as directed.
Mostaccioli
This Baked Mostaccioli recipe features pasta in homemade meat sauce layered with a ricotta cheese mixture and topped with freshly grated mozzarella. It's an easy pasta bake that the entire family will enjoy!
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 teaspoon salt divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper divided
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 pound ground beef 80/20
- 1 pound ground sweet Italian sausage
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning divided
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
- 28- ounces can crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped (plus more for garnish)
- 16 ounces mostaccioli pasta
- 15 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese plus 3 tablespoons for topping
- 2 cups freshly shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the ground beef and sweet Italian sausage to the skillet. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Drain any excess grease if needed.
- Stir in the tomato paste, half of the salt, half of the black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the crushed tomatoes, 1/4 cup of water, and chopped parsley. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the sauce simmers, cook the mostaccioli pasta in salted water according to the package instructions for al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, egg, grated Pecorino Romano, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper until smooth.
- Combine the cooked pasta with the sauce mixture, stirring until evenly coated. Spread half of the pasta and sauce mixture into the prepared baking dish. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the pasta layer, then top with the remaining pasta and sauce.
- Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese and additional Pecorino Romano over the top. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Garnish with additional fresh parsley before serving. Enjoy!
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Nutrition
Calories: 1113kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 56g | Fat: 66g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 27g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 213mg | Sodium: 1621mg | Potassium: 1183mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1250IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 536mg | Iron: 6mg
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