Description
Frankie pasta bake is a comforting Italian-American casserole featuring perfectly cooked pasta baked with a rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta mixture, and gooey mozzarella cheese topped with fresh parsley. This hearty dish is baked to bubbly perfection making it an ideal meal for family dinners or gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Cheese Mixture
- 1 lb. Pasta (ziti, penne, or rigatoni)
- 1 cup Ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (finely grated)
- 1 egg (whisked)
- 2 ½ cups mozzarella cheese (separated)
Meat Sauce
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 (24 oz.) jars marinara sauce
Garnish
- Fresh Parsley (to garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the pasta dish.
- Mix Cheese Blend: In a bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, egg, and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and set aside for layering later.
- Cook Pasta: Boil water and cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than al dente to prevent it from getting mushy when baked. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
- Prepare Meat Sauce: Over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the ground beef with diced onion until browned. Drain any grease. Add minced garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, onion powder, and Italian seasoning and cook for 1 additional minute.
- Add Sauce to Meat: Stir in the marinara sauce and let the mixture heat through, then remove from heat.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Mix the drained pasta with about three-quarters of the meat sauce and transfer this mixture into a lightly greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
- Layer Cheese Mixture: Dollop the ricotta and cheese mixture evenly over the pasta in the baking dish, then spread the remaining meat sauce on top.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes to heat through and meld the flavors.
- Add Mozzarella and Finish Baking: Remove the foil, sprinkle the remaining 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese over the top, increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees, and bake uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese bubbles and browns.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the pasta bake from the oven, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve hot, ideally alongside garlic bread with cheese for a complete meal.
Notes
- Use a sturdy pasta shape like ziti, penne, or rigatoni to hold up well during baking.
- Cook pasta slightly under al dente to avoid mushy texture after baking.
- Drain excess grease from the cooked ground beef to keep the bake from becoming greasy.
- Cover the dish during the first baking to keep the pasta moist.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to your preferred heat level or omit for no spice.
- Garnish with fresh parsley just before serving for color and freshness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Keywords: pasta bake, baked pasta, Italian casserole, ground beef pasta, cheesy pasta bake, comfort food, family dinner
