Need a comfort food vegetarian baked pasta recipe?? Make this cheesy Baked Rotini! This recipe has just 5 main ingredients so you can make it any night of the week with minimum fuss.
This cheesy rotini bake is a family favorite and kid-approved!
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Baked pasta recipe
There's nothing more delicious than a cheesy baked pasta dish, so here is the easiest possible baked pasta recipe with just 5 main ingredients: pasta, sauce, ricotta, egg, and cheese.
Lots of cheese.
If you want to add some Italian seasoning or dried oregano, I won't stop you.
This recipe requires NO large mixing bowls, because you make the cheesy pasta mixture right in the same pot where you cooked the pasta. You'll only need 1 small bowl or mug for whisking the egg.
To reduce the dirty dishes, you can whisk the egg in the empty ricotta container once you've added the ricotta to the pasta mixture. SO EASY.
Related recipe: Spinach Chicken Lasagna
More Italian-inspired comfort food recipes: Roasted Tomato Soup with Mascarpone
Ingredients
- 1 lb uncooked rotini noodles
- 1 tablespoon salt (for cooking rotini)
- ½ cup pasta water, reserved from cooking pasta
- 4-5 cups of your favorite pasta sauce (about 1.5 24-oz jars, I recommend using a flavorful sauce instead of generic "spaghetti sauce")
- 16 oz ricotta (or use cottage cheese)
- 1 egg, beaten/whisked
- 2 cups shredded cheese, divided (I love using a mix of mozzarella, Parmesan, Monterrey Jack and cheddar)
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning or dried basil or oregano
- Fresh parsley or basil for garnish (optional)
Related recipe: Pesto Pasta with Chicken and Asparagus
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Grease a 9x13 baking dish by brushing or spraying with olive oil or cooking spray.
Step 2: Boil water in a large pot with 1 tablespoon salt. Cook the rotini for about 8 minutes, or according to the al dente instructions on the packaging (typically 2 minutes less than fully cooked). Remember, you will bake the pasta so it will continue to cook in the next steps.
Step 3: Carefully spoon out ½ cup of hot pasta water and transfer to a heat-safe bowl or mug. Drain the rest of the water out and place the pasta back in the empty pot.
Step 4: Add the spaghetti sauce, ricotta, beaten egg, and 1 cup shredded cheese to the pasta. Rinse out your spaghetti sauce jar or measurement cup with the reserved pasta water and add that to the mix. Add dried herbs, if using. Mix well.
Step 5: Transfer the pasta mixture to the 9x13-inch pan and spread it around evenly. Top with the remaining 1 cup shredded cheese.
Step 6: Bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese on top is bubbly and starting to brown. Serve warm, garnishing with fresh basil or parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Related recipe: Salmon and Orzo One Pan Dinner
What kind of pasta sauce to use
If you have a really good homemade pasta sauce, then you know that's the best sauce to use!
But there's nothing wrong with jarred pasta sauce. I recommend using a really flavorful sauce that you love instead of a generic canned "spaghetti sauce." I love the buttery marinara sauce from Tastes like Home. Other options are any good 4-cheese pasta sauces or basil and garlic flavored pasta sauces.
Feel free to use a meat sauce to add some chunky meat into your rotini bake.
Related recipe: Fresh Tomato Pasta Sauce
Optional add-ins
Add chicken: This baked rotini on its own is vegetarian and is filling enough to not need any meat. But of course, you can always add some shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover roasted chicken (try my dry brine roast chicken!).
Ground beef or ground turkey: Brown 1 lb of ground beef or turkey in a skillet (bonus points for adding chopped onion!). Drain well and stir into the pasta.
Sausage: Brown ground sausage and drain any extra fat.
Meatballs: Add some thawed frozen meatballs (whole or chopped) to the pasta mix.
Broccoli: Some roasted broccoli would be a great addition! Do not add raw broccoli as it will not cook enough in the casserole. Another option is to add broccoli to the boiling pasta water for the last 3-4 minutes of cooking so it softens and add the par-boiled broccoli to this rotini casserole.
Spinach: For a healthy twist, add some frozen chopped spinach to the pasta mix. Just make sure to really squeeze any excess water out so the rotini does not become watery.
No frozen spinach on hand? Use fresh spinach and wilt it just so lightly in a hot pan. You can start with at least 4 cups of fresh spinach, it will reduce in size by a lot.
Related recipe: Pasta e Fagioli
What to serve with baked rotini casserole
We love this rotini bake with a baguette for sopping up all the extra sauce. It's great with some roast chicken or a rotisserie chicken on the side along with an easy Italian chopped salad.
If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!
Easy Cheesy Baked Rotini
Ingredients
- 1 lb rotini uncooked
- 1 tablespoon salt for cooking rotini
- ½ cup pasta water reserved from cooking pasta
- 4-5 cups favorite pasta sauce (about 1.5 24-oz jars)
- 16 oz ricotta or cottage cheese
- 1 egg lightly beaten/whisked
- 2 cups shredded cheese divided. Use a combination of cheeses, such as mozzarella, cheddar, Parmesan, Monterey Jack
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning or dried basil or oregano
- Fresh parsley or basil optional garnish
Special equipment
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Grease a 9x13 baking dish by spraying or brushing with olive oil or cooking spray.
- Boil water in a large pot with 1 tablespoon salt. Cook the rotini for about 8 minutes, or according to the al dente instructions on the packaging (typically 2 minutes less than fully cooked).
- Carefully spoon out ½ cup of hot pasta water and transfer to a heat-safe bowl or mug. Drain the rest of the water out and place the pasta back in the empty pot.
- Add the spaghetti sauce, ricotta, beaten egg, and 1 cup shredded cheese to the pasta. Rinse out your spaghetti sauce jar or measurement cup with the reserved pasta water and add that in. Add Italian seasoning, if using. Mix well.
- Transfer the pasta mixture to the 9x13-inch pan and spread it around evenly. Top with the remaining 1 cup shredded cheese.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese on top is bubbly and starting to brown. Serve warm, garnishing with fresh basil or parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Lourdes
Friday 2nd of September 2022
Great easy recipe ….I added Italian sausage to the recipe. Everyone loved it.
Kate
Friday 14th of October 2022
Sounds really good with sausage!