Creamy Pasta Bake

Creamy pasta is ground beef and pasta casserole infused with seasonings, rich tomato sauce and topped with a creamy homemade white sauce. Bake until bubbly and piping hot. A dinner masterfully made, yet so easy to prepare.

Next time try this old fashioned macarona bechamel.

A satisfying creamy pasta bake is perfect for any night and you will want to add this kid friendly dinner to your meal rotation every week!

Jump to:

• ❤️ Why You'll Love It
• 📝 Ingredients
• 🥄 Instructions
• 💡 Expert Tips
• ⌛ Make Ahead
• 🍽️ Serve With
• 👩‍🍳 Variations
• 🧺 Storage
• 💬 FAQs
• 📣 Related Recipes
• Pasta Recipes
• Creamy Pasta Bake

❤️ Why You'll Love It

• An easy make ahead until you need it dinner.
• Perfect as a gift for a friend. Cook in aluminum foil pan to give to a neighbor or friend.
• No separate pot needed for the pasta.
• Tastes even better the second day!

Creamy pasta bake is an easy to make, not boring dinner that the whole family will love. Hearty and flavorful, you may want to double the recipe to put one in the freezer or to have leftovers the next day.

📝 Ingredients

📋 Ingredient Notes

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• Ground beef
• Pasta of choice: I used fusilli but you can use any shaped pasta you want as well as gluten-free or whatever your favorite pasta may be.
• Onion: adds flavor to the ground beef mixture.
• Oil: use to sauté the onions.
• Tomato paste: added to make the sauce thicker.
• Tomato sauce: creates a delicious sauce with the ground beef and pasta.
• Cinnamon: adds a touch of flavor.
• Italian seasoning: a must for Italian pasta dish!
• Salt & pepper: brings out the flavors.
• Water: is used to cook the pasta.
• Butter: used to create the white sauce.
• Milk: the base of the white sauce.
• Flour: used as a thickening agent to make a roux with the butter.
• Nutmeg: a little bit goes a long way, perfect for a white sauce.
• Table cream: optional added to the top of the white sauce, creates a nice brown top.

🥄 Instructions

Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.

1. In a deep skillet that goes into the oven if possible, heat oil on medium high heat and sauté onions until translucent. Add ground beef and brown until no longer pink.
2. Add spices, tomato sauce and paste mixing everything well, taste to adjust seasoning.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil and then pour in boiling water and mix in dry pasta.
4. Let the mixture boil then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and let it cook for 15 minutes. We need to cook the pasta al dente at this stage.

1. In a pot over medium heat melt butter then add flour and whisk until flour changes color to yellow.
2. Gradually pour in milk while whisking until you get a smooth mixture with no lumps. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Keep stirring until the mixture gets hot and bubbly.
3. Turn heat off on pasta dish. Mix the ingredients well to redistribute the tomato sauce. If you do not have an oven proof skillet, pour the pasta mixture into a 13x9 oven safe dish.
4. Pour the white sauce over the top. If you are using the optional cream, put the cream in a cup and mix with a spoon to loosen it up and distribute liberally over the white sauce layer. Bake until the top browns slightly.

💡 Expert Tips

• If you do not have a big skillet that goes into the oven you can pour the pasta mixture in a 13x9 oven safe dish then pour the white sauce and proceed with baking.
• Table cream adds richness to the dish and helps brown the top, but you can safely leave it out.

⌛ Make Ahead

• Bake and let the dish cool completely, cover with plastic wrap then tightly wrap in aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
• To reheat: let it thaw in the fridge overnight, remove plastic wrap, cover with only aluminum foil and reheat in a a 300°F oven until thoroughly heated.

🍽️ Serve With

This creamy pasta bake is a hearty dinner all by itself or can be served with a side salad or garlic bread.

👩‍🍳 Variations

• Gluten-free pasta or another pasta can be used in this dish.
• Top with your favorite cheese like shredded parmesan cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese.
• Love cherry tomatoes? Halve them and mix right into the meat mixture for added flavor.

🧺 Storage

Place leftover creamy pasta in an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 4-5 days.

💬 FAQs

📣 Related Recipes

• Like 30 minute recipes? here is a vegetarian orzo recipe that is so flavorful.
• A delicious lasagna without ricotta cheese. It's easy to make and tastes amazing!
• This chicken tortellini alfredo is made with tender cheese tortellini, creamy sauce and sautéed chicken. It’s perfect for dinner tonight!
• Ground beef gyros are a tasty and nourishing meal that are easy to make at home. Try them out the next time you are craving Greek food.
• Here is an authentic koshari recipe with all the tips and tricks to get the best koshari on the table.

Pasta Recipes

• Comforting and simplified Easy Lasagna Casserole for those nights when you are craving the classic Italian dish with minimal effort.
• Looking for a meatless creamy dinner, try this vegan sun-dried tomato pasta.
• Comforting Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta made entirely in one pot! A crave worthy dish that you do not want to miss.
• Easy Beef Stroganoff without Sour Cream with tender beef and delicious creamy sauce a 30 minute dinner idea.
• Try this tasty Chicken Broccoli Ziti recipe for a filling, flavorful dinner that is full of healthy ingredients and will quickly become a family favorite!
• Tortellini Ground Beef is the perfect comfort food dinner for busy weeknights. Tender cheese filled tortellini in a rich meat sauce topped with stretchy cheese, a hearty and satisfying meal for your family.

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