Four Cheese Baked Pasta (Printable Version)

A creamy baked pasta layered with four cheeses and marinara for a cozy, flavorful meal.

# What You Need:

→ 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 (optional)

# How-to Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking.
02 - Boil pasta in salted water until al dente, approximately two minutes less than package instructions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan. Sauté minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant. Add marinara sauce, dried basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes and 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 of the prepared sauce until evenly coated.
05 - Transfer pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish. Pour remaining sauce evenly on top. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella, Parmesan, and Romano cheeses over the surface.
06 - Cover loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld and cheeses to melt.
07 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling.
08 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Four cheeses melt into a creamy, decadent sauce that tastes like you spent hours on it, but you didn't.
  • It comes together in under an hour from start to table, making it perfect for busy nights when you still want something that feels homemade.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day.
02 -
  • Use low-moisture mozzarella or your casserole becomes a soggy situation; I learned this when my first attempt turned into a cheese soup.
  • Not cooking the pasta quite all the way is essential, because it keeps going soft in the oven and you want it tender but not mushy.
  • The five-minute rest at the end is not optional—it transforms a slightly loose casserole into something that holds its shape beautifully.
03 -
  • Let grated cheeses come to room temperature slightly before mixing so they distribute more evenly and don't clump.
  • The foil tent during the first twenty minutes of baking is the secret to a creamy interior and golden top—don't skip it or rush it.
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