Four Cheese Baked Pasta (Printable version)

Creamy baked pasta with four cheeses and rich marinara sauce for a cozy, satisfying meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 pound penne or rigatoni

→ Cheeses

02 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
03 - 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
04 - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - ¾ cup grated Romano cheese

→ Sauce

06 - 3 cups marinara sauce
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
10 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
11 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
12 - ½ teaspoon salt
13 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

14 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Boil pasta in salted water until just shy of al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan, sauté minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in marinara, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Simmer 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
04 - In a large bowl, mix cooked pasta with ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, ½ cup Parmesan, ½ cup Romano, and 2 cups sauce until evenly coated.
05 - Transfer mixture to prepared dish, pour remaining sauce on top, then sprinkle with remaining mozzarella, Parmesan, and Romano cheeses.
06 - Cover loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
07 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until golden and bubbling.
08 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The four-cheese combination is richer and more complex than it has any right to be, with Romano adding a salty edge that keeps it from feeling heavy.
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means you can go from craving comfort food to actually eating it without much fuss.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day, and it reheats beautifully without drying out.
02 -
  • Don't cook the pasta all the way through—those 2 minutes matter, because the pasta continues cooking in the oven and you don't want mush.
  • Low-moisture mozzarella is non-negotiable if you want a decent texture instead of a soupy casserole.
  • The resting period at the end prevents the whole thing from falling apart when you cut into it, which feels like a small thing until you're actually plating it.
03 -
  • Let the baking dish cool for 5 minutes before serving—the cheese will set just enough to hold together, and everything will taste better when it's not mouth-burningly hot.
  • Leftover baked pasta keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator and reheats beautifully covered with foil at 325°F, which means this is basically a built-in meal for tomorrow.
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