Baked Mostaccioli Recipe

Baked mostaccioli with melted cheese and sprinkled parsley on top.

5 from 3 votes

This Baked Mostaccioli Recipe is a deliciously creamy pasta dish that comes together quickly and is perfect for busy weeknights. It is made with a creamy red sauce, filled with ground beef for some great protein, and topped with melty mozzarella cheese!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 15

Servings

Calories 845kcal

Author Alexandria Drzazgowski

Equipment

Ingredients

16 oz dry Mostaccioli
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 yellow onion diced
½ tbsp minced Garlic
1 lb Lean Ground Beef
1 ½ tbsp Italian Seasoning
36 oz Marinara Sauce I used 1½ (24 oz) jars of sauce
1 ½ cup Heavy Cream
¾ cup grated Parmesan
Salt to taste
2 cups shredded Mozzarella

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9x13 glass baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.
Cook 16 oz mostaccioli according to the box instructions until al dente. You can make the sauce while your pasta is cooking.
To make the sauce, add 2 tbsp olive oil into a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
Once warm, add one yellow diced onion and saute for 5 minutes until the onions begin to turn translucent. Once the onions are sweating, add the ½ tbsp garlic and cook for another minute or so.
Add 1 lb ground beef into the saucepan along with the 1 ½ tbsp Italian seasoning. Cook until the ground beef is cooked all the way through, using a wooden spoon to break up the meat.
Once the beef is cooked, add 36 oz marinara sauce into the saucepan and cook until it just starts to bubble. Then add the 1 ½ cup heavy cream and stir. Cook again until the sauce begins to bubble.
Add the ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese into the sauce and stir once again until the cheese is combined. Taste the sauce and salt to taste.
In a large pot or bowl, toss the cooked pasta with the sauce.
Pour the pasta into the prepared 9x13 pan. Sprinkle the 2 cups shredded mozzarella on top of the pasta.
Put the pasta in the oven and set the timer for 15 minutes. Your Mostaccioli Pasta Bake is done when the cheese is melted and the sauce just begins to bubble. Serve and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Recipe Copyright The Foreign Fork. For educational or personal use only.

Mostaccioli: Mostaccioli is very similar to penne but without the ridges on the exterior. If you can’t find it in your local grocery store, penne is a great substitute.
Yellow Onion: I like to keep this recipe simple with just onion, but you could also add peppers, zucchini or mushrooms
Lean Ground Beef: You can substitute ground turkey for a healthier option or Italian sausage for extra flavor. If you like a little spice, you could even use hot Italian sausage cut into small pieces.
Marinara Sauce: Use your favorite canned or jarred marinara sauce
Heavy Cream: Make sure to use heavy whipping cream.
Grated Parmesan: Cheese always melts the best when it is freshly grated, rather than purchased pre-shredded, so buy a block of parmesan and hand grate it if possible. If not, you can buy the pre-grated stuff.
Shredded Mozzarella: Again, hand shred your mozzarella if you can, using a cheese grater. If you want a simpler option, the bags of shredded mozzarella will work just fine.
This easy pasta dish is so versatile. You could add in zucchini, green bell peppers, ricotta cheese, spinach, provolone or mushrooms to the mix or even top with fresh basil for extra flavor.
With plenty of extra veggies, you could even leave out the meat and make this a vegetarian dish.
Be careful not to overcook your pasta. The pasta cooks in the sauce as it bakes.
Many recipes call for baking your dish for 25-35 minutes, but I feel like that can lead to some dry pasta. For a saucy pasta, I recommend baking just until the cheese is melted and the tender pasta is warm, about 10-15 minutes.
You can use just about any type of short noodle for this recipe. Penne and mostaccioli do the best job of holding onto the sauce, but any tube-shaped pasta will do.
I recommend using lean ground beef to cut down on the amount of grease in your dish. If you choose to substitute with sausage, be sure and drain some of the grease before mixing with your sauce.

Nutrition