Baked pasta Bolognese is comfort food done right. It's full of tender pasta coated in a rich, meaty sauce, tucked under gooey mozzarella. It's the kind of dish that makes people go back for seconds, maybe thirds.
Jump to:
Baked Pasta Bolognese
I've made a lot of baked pasta recipes over the years. But this one is a go-to for me, because it's easy enough for weeknights but also elegant enough for guests. And, it makes excellent leftovers.
Pro Tip
Use freshly shredded mozzarella. The pre-shredded stuff doesn’t melt the same because it’s coated in starch to keep it from clumping in the bag.
Baked Bolognese Pasta
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 2 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium carrots finely diced 1 ¼ cups =1 cup 2 fl ounces
- 4 celery stalks finely diced 1 cup
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 2 pound ground beef
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 (28oz) can crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup beef broth
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 4 fresh thyme springs
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt or to your liking
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup whole milk
For the pasta bake:
- 1 lb pasta cooked
- 3-4 cups mozzarella cheese freshly shredded
Instructions
- Cook pasta 1 minute less than package direction for al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot and saute onions, carrots and celery until soft and tender and they change color and get a bit darker. About 8 minutes
- Add ground beef, breaking it apart and cook until no longer pink.
- Add vinegar, crushed tomatoes, broth, oregano and fresh thyme. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
- Stir in milk, season with salt and black pepper then let it cook for another 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat, discard thyme and check seasoning.
Make the dish:
- Add pasta to the meat sauce and toss to coat.
- Spread half the pasta in a 13x9 baking dish then top with half the mozzarella cheese.
- Spread the other half of pasta over and sprinkle the remaining cheese over.
- Cover and bake in the middle of your oven for 20 minutes.
- Uncover and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Sign up and learn more about Mediterranean flavors
How to Make Pasta Bolognese
Ready to make this simple baked pasta? Grab your ingredients, and follow these instructions, so you can enjoy this meal with your family.
Step 1: Cook your pasta 1 minute shy of al dente. Drain and set aside.
Step 2: Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté until soft, deep golden, or for about 8 minutes.
Step 3: Add ground beef. Break it up and cook until browned and no longer pink.
Step 4: Stir in vinegar, crushed tomatoes, broth, oregano, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 5: Pour in the milk. Add salt and pepper. Simmer another 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Step 6: Toss pasta with the sauce.
Step 7: Spread into the baking dish, top with shredded cheese, and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes covered, and then 15 more minutes uncovered.
FAQs
Yes, assemble it, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Bake when ready to eat.
Yes, you can use ground turkey or ground chicken as an alternative to beef.
You could swap in half-and-half or even a dairy-free option, but whole milk gives it that rich, velvety finish.
How to Store and Reheat
- Storage: Cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Freeze the fully baked dish (cooled) wrapped well in foil. Lasts 2–3 months.
- Reheating: Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat covered at 350°F until hot and bubbly. You can also microwave individual portions.
More Tips
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like a little heat.
- Swap in turkey Italian sausage for a twist.
- Stir in a handful of Parmesan with the sauce for extra flavor.
- Have a small family? Bake it in two smaller pans and freeze one
Serving suggestions
When it comes to serving pasta, you can never go wrong with a simple side salad such as this Panera Bread Greek Salad and Air Fryer Garlic Bread. It makes the perfect meal.
You'll also like
Baked pasta makes such a family-friendly meal. And, if you are looking for more pasta recipes like this one, check out this Baked Feta Pasta, Ground Beef Pasta Bake, or this Creamy Pasta Bake.
Would you like to save this post?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Leave a Reply