12 Baked Ziti & Pasta Casserole Recipes for Cozy Nights

Bubbly, cheesy, and endlessly comforting — baked pasta casseroles are the definition of crowd-pleasing. These twelve recipes cover classic ziti, creamy alfredo bakes, veggie-packed versions, and a few fun twists like pizza pasta and taco pasta bake.

1. Classic Baked Ziti with Sausage

The gold standard: sausage, three cheeses, and bubbly marinara.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ziti
• 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jar (24 oz) marinara
• 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• 15 oz ricotta
• 1 egg
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• Fresh basil, to top

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375°F; boil ziti 2 minutes shy of al dente.
2. Brown sausage with onion 7 minutes; add garlic.
3. Stir in marinara, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and salt; simmer 8 minutes.
4. Mix ricotta with egg.
5. Layer sauce, ziti, ricotta dollops, and mozzarella twice; top with parmesan.
6. Bake 25 minutes until bubbly; rest 10 minutes.

2. Creamy Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake

Silky alfredo, tender chicken, and a golden cheese lid.

Ingredients

• 1 lb penne
• 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1 jar (15 oz) alfredo sauce
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375°F; boil penne 2 minutes shy of al dente.
2. Mix alfredo, milk, peas, garlic powder, pepper, and salt.
3. Toss with pasta and chicken in a 9×13 dish.
4. Top with mozzarella and parmesan.
5. Bake 22 minutes until golden and bubbly.
6. Rest 5 minutes before serving.

3. Cheesy Beef Rigatoni Bake

Hearty beef and rigatoni under a blanket of melted mozzarella.

Ingredients

• 1 lb rigatoni
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jar (24 oz) marinara
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup ricotta
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375°F; boil rigatoni 2 minutes shy.
2. Brown beef with onion; add garlic, marinara, seasoning, and salt.
3. Layer pasta, sauce, ricotta dollops, and mozzarella.
4. Top with parmesan.
5. Bake 25 minutes until bubbly.
6. Rest 10 minutes; serve.

4. Pizza Pasta Casserole

Pepperoni pizza flavors baked into cheesy penne.

Ingredients

• 12 oz penne
• 2 cups marinara
• 1 cup ricotta
• 1 egg
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup mini pepperoni
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• Fresh basil

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375°F; boil penne 2 minutes shy.
2. Mix ricotta with egg.
3. Toss pasta with marinara and Italian seasoning in a 9×13 dish.
4. Dollop ricotta, top with mozzarella and pepperoni.
5. Bake 22 minutes until bubbly.
6. Top with basil and serve.

5. Spinach and Three-Cheese Ziti

A vegetarian baked ziti packed with spinach and three cheeses.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ziti
• 2 cups marinara
• 1 cup ricotta
• 1 egg
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375°F; boil ziti 2 minutes shy.
2. Wilt spinach in a hot pan 2 minutes.
3. Mix ricotta, egg, garlic powder, and flakes.
4. Toss pasta with marinara and spinach.
5. Layer with ricotta mixture and mozzarella; top with parmesan.
6. Bake 25 minutes until golden.

6. Taco Pasta Bake

Taco night meets pasta bake — cheesy, zesty, and fun.

Ingredients

• 1 lb elbow macaroni
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
• 2 cups shredded cheddar
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Scallions, to top

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375°F; boil macaroni 2 minutes shy.
2. Brown beef with taco seasoning.
3. Stir in tomatoes and beans.
4. Toss with pasta and 1 cup cheddar in a 9×13 dish.
5. Top with remaining cheddar.
6. Bake 20 minutes; dollop sour cream and scallions.

7. Chicken and Ritz Cracker Pasta Bake

Creamy chicken pasta with a buttery cracker crunch on top.

Ingredients

• 1 lb farfalle
• 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1 can (10 oz) cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups shredded cheddar
• 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
• 3 tbsp melted butter

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350°F; boil farfalle 2 minutes shy.
2. Mix soup, sour cream, broth, garlic powder, and salt.
3. Toss with pasta and chicken in a 9×13 dish.
4. Top with cheddar.
5. Toss cracker crumbs with butter and sprinkle over.
6. Bake 25 minutes until golden.

8. Sausage and Veggie Pasta Bake

A garden's worth of vegetables with savory sausage and cheese.

Ingredients

• 1 lb penne
• 1 lb Italian sausage
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 jar (24 oz) marinara
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375°F; boil penne 2 minutes shy.
2. Brown sausage with onion; add pepper and zucchini, cook 5 minutes.
3. Stir in marinara and Italian seasoning.
4. Toss with pasta in a 9×13 dish; top with cheeses.
5. Bake 25 minutes until bubbly.

9. Stuffed Shells Casserole (Easy)

All the stuffed-shell flavor without the fussy filling work.

Ingredients

• 1 lb shells
• 2 cups marinara
• 15 oz ricotta
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375°F; boil shells al dente.
2. Mix ricotta, egg, parmesan, garlic powder, and seasoning.
3. Spread marinara in a 9×13 dish.
4. Fill shells with ricotta mixture and arrange over sauce.
5. Top with mozzarella.
6. Bake 25 minutes until bubbly.

10. Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake

Game-day buffalo chicken dip transformed into a pasta bake.

Ingredients

• 1 lb rotini
• 2 cups shredded chicken
• 1 cup buffalo sauce
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• Celery sticks, to serve

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375°F; boil rotini 2 minutes shy.
2. Toss pasta with chicken, buffalo sauce, and ranch.
3. Spread in a 9×13 dish; top with mozzarella, cheddar, and blue cheese.
4. Bake 22 minutes until bubbly.
5. Serve with celery sticks.

11. Lighter Turkey Ziti Bake

A lighter take with turkey and cottage cheese — still totally comforting.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ziti
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jar (24 oz) marinara
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1 egg
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375°F; boil ziti 2 minutes shy.
2. Brown turkey with onion; add garlic, marinara, and seasoning.
3. Blend cottage cheese with egg until smooth.
4. Layer pasta, sauce, cottage cheese mixture, and mozzarella.
5. Bake 25 minutes until bubbly.

12. Cajun Sausage Pasta Bake

Smoky andouille and Cajun cream sauce with a pepper-jack lid.

Ingredients

• 1 lb cavatappi
• 1 lb andouille sausage, sliced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups shredded pepper jack

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375°F; boil cavatappi 2 minutes shy.
2. Brown andouille with onion and pepper 6 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, cream, Cajun seasoning, and salt; simmer 5 minutes.
4. Toss with pasta in a 9×13 dish; top with pepper jack.
5. Bake 22 minutes until bubbly.