Baked Bolognese Pasta Recipe (Easy Cheesy Pasta Bake)

This Baked Bolognese Pasta is the kind of dish that stops everyone in their tracks. You get the depth of a slow-cooked stovetop bolognese sauce, the gooey cheese of a great pasta al forno, and that bubbling, golden-brown finish that makes you want to dive right in. It’s cozy, indulgent, and exactly what a chilly night calls for.

If this bolognese bake hits the spot for you, there are a few more cozy favorites you’ll want on your radar. My short rib bolognese has the same rich sauce energy but feels a little more Sunday supper. The white bolognese sauce is a fun shift if you want something silky with plenty of flavor. Fusilli bolognese gives you that perfect corkscrew pasta grip, and my tagliatelle al ragù brings it back to the classics in the best way.

Recipe Highlights: Baked Bolognese Pasta

• Where it Comes From: Inspired by traditional Italian food and the pasta al forno dishes I grew up loving in New England, this baked bolognese pasta brings together slow-simmered meat sauce and a cheesy bake in one cozy casserole.
• Best Served For: Perfect for family gatherings, busy weeknights when you want something comforting, or any dinner where you want the whole family running to the table.
• What Makes It Special: The main difference here is the layered flavor you get from guanciale, the slow simmer, and the way the pasta mixture clings to the rich sauce. Once everything goes into the baking dish and hits the oven, it turns into the most gooey cheese situation on top with a golden perfection finish.
• Make it Ahead: This is a great make-ahead option. Assemble the whole thing, cover with foil, and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake.

Ingredients Notes

• Guanciale: It melts into the olive oil and gives the bolognese sauce a savory, almost silky depth that pancetta can’t quite replicate. If you see it at the market, get it.
• Whole Tomatoes: Using a quality can gives you that Italian-style richness without needing much else. Crush them gently with a wooden spoon to keep the sauce rustic.
• Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino Romano: These two cheeses bring both saltiness and depth. I love using a blend because it adds extra flavor and keeps the sauce from feeling too heavy.
• Rigatoni or Paccheri: Short-cut pasta is ideal because the tubes fill with meat sauce and bake into the kind of dish everyone fights over. Cook the pasta until just shy of al dente before baking so it doesn’t soften too much.
• White Wine: White wine keeps the sauce bright while still giving you that slow-cooked flavor. It lifts the tomato base and helps loosen the browned bits in the large pan, which means more layered flavor in every bite.
• Milk: Milk is one of my favorite parts of this recipe. It softens the acidity of the tomatoes and helps the ground meat cook into a velvety mixture that feels like classic Northern Italian bolognese.
• Crushed Tomatoes: Crushed tomatoes give the sauce the right balance of texture and body. They simmer down into a rich sauce without breaking down whole tomatoes with a wooden spoon.
• Cheese: Pecorino Romano, Parmesan, and mozzarella all add flavor to this dish! The mozzarella gives us the cheesy top! 

Suggested Ingredient Substitutions and Additions

• Swap the Meat: Ground turkey works surprisingly well if you want something lighter in texture while still giving you that hearty dish vibe.
• Use a Different Pasta Shape: Ziti, penne, or fusilli hug the sauce nicely and give you more surface area for gooey cheese.
• Add a Bit of a Kick: Stir in extra red pepper flakes or sauté a few finely chopped bell peppers for a bit of heat and sweetness.
• Try a Ricotta Layer: Dollops of ricotta tucked in before baking make it feel almost like a hybrid of lasagna and baked ziti.

How to Make Baked Bolognese Pasta

1. Heat the olive oil in the braiser over medium heat. Cook the guanciale until lightly crisp and rendered. Add the onion, carrot, and celery with a pinch of salt and cook until soft. Stir in the garlic and anchovies until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until slightly darkened and sweet.

2. Add the ground beef and pork, season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, and cook until browned, breaking into small pieces. Pour in the wine and simmer, scraping up browned bits. Stir in the milk and simmer briefly to marry.

3. Add the crushed tomatoes, stock, Parm rind, and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook partially covered, stirring occasionally, until thick, glossy, and concentrated (1 hour). Remove the rind and bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning.

4. Heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius). Boil the pasta in salted water until 2 minutes shy of al dente. Reserve some pasta water and drain.

5.  Stir the Parmigiano and Pecorino into the sauce. Add the pasta and toss to coat, loosening with splashes of reserved pasta water until it clings nicely.

6.  Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat until nutty and golden. Stir in the panko and a pinch of salt and toast to pale gold, then set aside to cool.

7. Spread the pasta evenly in the braiser. Scatter the mozzarella on top.

8. Bake on the middle rack until bubbling and golden. For deeper color, broil briefly. If using panko, add it during the last few minutes of baking or sprinkle on just before serving for maximum crunch. Rest briefly, then serve.

Expert Tips From My Kitchen

• Season Early: Salt the onions, carrots, and celery as soon as they hit the large pan to help them soften and release their flavors.
• Cook the Tomato Paste: Let it darken in the olive oil before adding the liquids. This step sets up the entire sauce.
• Go Low and Slow: Keeping the sauce at a gentle simmer gives the mixture time to concentrate without scorching.
• Reserve Pasta Water: A splash of pasta water helps the sauce cling to the pasta and keeps everything glossy.

Did you try this recipe? I’d love to see it! Tag @alliehagerty on Instagram and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review below!

Easy Baked Bolognese Pasta (A Family Favorite!)

Allie Hagerty

A cozy baked bolognese pasta that layers slow-simmered sauce, rigatoni, and gooey cheese into one comforting dish. Your whole family will love this!

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Pasta

Servings 6 servings

Equipment

• Large ovenproof braiser (3.5–5 qt) or deep skillet
• Large pot for pasta
• wooden spoon
• Microplane or zester
• Measuring Cups and Spoons

Ingredients

  

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Bolognese Sauce

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 ounces guanciale or pancetta, diced
• 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
• 1 small carrot finely chopped
• 1 small celery rib finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 2 anchovy fillets optional
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 pound ground beef 80–85 percent lean
• ½ pound ground pork
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
• ½ cup low-sodium beef or chicken stock
• 1 Parmigiano Reggiano rind
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional

Pasta and Cheese

• 1 pound pasta rigatoni or paccheri or mafaldine
• ¾ cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• ¼ cup finely grated Pecorino Romano
• 8 ounces low-moisture mozzarella shredded

Brown Butter Panko (optional)

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
• Pinch kosher salt

Instructions

 

Build the Sauce

• Heat the olive oil in the braiser over medium heat. Add the guanciale and cook until lightly crisp and the fat has rendered. Add the onion, carrot, and celery with a pinch of salt and cook until soft. Stir in the garlic and anchovies until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it darkens and becomes sweet.
• Add the beef and pork. Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook until browned, breaking the meat into small pieces.
• Pour in the white wine and simmer, scraping up the browned bits. Stir in the milk and let it come together.
• Add the crushed tomatoes, stock, Parmigiano rind, and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cook partially covered for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until thick, glossy, and concentrated. Remove the rind and bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Cook the Pasta

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until 2 minutes shy of al dente. Reserve some pasta water, then drain.
• Stir the Parmigiano and Pecorino into the sauce. Add the pasta and toss to coat, loosening with splashes of pasta water until the sauce clings nicely.

Optional Brown Butter Panko

• Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat until nutty and golden. Stir in the panko and a pinch of salt. Toast to pale gold and set aside.

Bake and Finish

• Spread the pasta evenly in the braiser. Scatter the mozzarella on top. Bake on the middle rack until bubbling and golden. Broil briefly for deeper color if you like.
• If using panko, sprinkle it on during the last few minutes of baking or right before serving for maximum crunch. Let it rest briefly before serving.

Notes

• Let the sauce rest for 5 minutes off the heat before mixing in the pasta. This quick pause helps the mixture thicken slightly so it hugs the rigatoni instead of sliding off.
• Keep the pasta only lightly sauced before it goes into the oven. The sauce will loosen as it bakes, so starting with a slightly thicker mixture gives you the best texture and prevents a watery bake.
• Bake on the middle rack for the most even browning. It keeps the bottom from drying out and gives the mozzarella enough direct heat to turn golden without overbaking the pasta underneath.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 890kcalCarbohydrates: 72gProtein: 37gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 1299mgPotassium: 1037mgFiber: 6gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 478IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 186mgIron: 5mg

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