This pasta bake is done in one pan and doesn’t require you to even boil the pasta first. Yes, that means the pasta is cooked in the oven! It’s amazing how delicious it is when you literally only need to spend 5 minutes prepping it. This one is going to save your weeknights for sure!
I honestly hate the phrase “dump dinners” or “dump-and-go dinners” where you dump everything into a cooking vessel and that’s all you have to do. I dislike the phrase, for sure. But, I love the concept!
Truly my favorite way to cook is to put everything on a sheet pan or in a casserole dish, put it in the oven, and then walk away.
I was never sure if you could cook pasta in the oven like that though. Until I started working on this recipe. Then I learned that the answer is yes, you can absolutely cook pasta in the oven. You just need the right amount of liquid, and a delicious recipe.
You’re going to be amazed by this recipe. You literally just put everything into a baking dish, cover it, put it in the oven, and walk away.
Video: No-Boil Pasta Bake*
*NOTE: The instructions as shown in the video are just fine. However, the milk sometimes curdles. We therefore retested the recipe several times to get it just right. Instead of the milk, the recipe now calls for 1 cup of cream and 1 cup of chicken stock. A commenter has done it with no cream and 2 cups of chicken stock and had success. The recipe below has all of these changes made.
More Delicious Pasta Dinner Recipes
If you love a good pasta dinner as much as I do, be sure to try my favorite pasta recipes, linked to below. And, when in search of just the right thing to make for dinner on a weeknight, go over and browse all of my Weeknight Dinner Recipes – there are over 300 of them!
The Secrets of an Italian Leftover Pasta Bake
FAQ
Can I reheat cooked pasta in the oven?
Can I bake pasta after boiling?
Why bake pasta after cooking?
Can you bake dried pasta?
Can you cook leftover pasta in the oven?
This will not only keep them from drying out—the quick hit of intense heat will prevent them from getting mushy, too. If your leftover pasta has already been tossed in alfredo or meatball marinara sauce, put it into a shallow ovenproof dish, cover it with foil, and bake it in the oven at 350 F until just heated through, about 20 minutes.
Can one eat pasta?
Pasta can be part of a diet, but in moderate amounts (100g of dried pasta daily), and it is better when it is made from whole grains rather than refined. Also, you must also have it combined with vegetables. Avoid taken it with fatty foods such as cream and cheese.
What can I do with leftover pasta?
If you’re worried about your leftovers being too dry, you can add an extra dollop of pasta sauce or even a few drops of water to the baking dish. This will revamp your leftovers and keep the taste and texture the same as the first time you enjoyed the meal.
How much pasta can I cook if I don’t have leftovers?
Pasta: You can use spaghetti or any other shape of pasta. If you don’t have leftovers, cook 10.5 lb (300 g) pasta and let it cool slightly before continuing with the recipe. A little more or less pasta is okay, anything between 1.1-1.3 lbs (500-600 g) of cooked pasta or 9-10.5 oz (250-300 g) of dry pasta.