The cheesiest mac and cheese recipe, ever. Four cheeses and crispy thyme breadcrumbs make this an irresistible dish, any time of the year. This mac and cheese recipe is incredibly cheesy and perfect for weeknight dinners or as a decadent side dish. The…
The cheesiest mac and cheese recipe, ever. Four cheeses and crispy thyme breadcrumbs make this an irresistible dish, any time of the year. This mac and cheese recipe is incredibly cheesy and perfect for weeknight dinners or as a decadent side dish. The breadcrumb topping adds great texture but I often make it without and...
This everything bagel pasta takes linguine pasta with a creamy cheese sauce and elevates it to out-of-this-world delicious with the popular bagel spice.
This everything bagel pasta takes linguine pasta with a creamy cheese sauce and elevates it to out-of-this-world delicious with the popular bagel spice.
If there’s one way to feed a large family or to have extra leftovers for the week, you can always count on a hearty, delicious, baked pasta casserole. This Baked Mostaccioli checks all those boxes and more! It’s made with a flavorful Italian sausage meat sauce, crushed tomatoes, and layers of pasta and melty cheese. Whenever I make a big pasta dish like this one, it always makes enough to feed my family for 2 nights! #winning
What Is Mostaccioli?
Mostaccioli is a type of penne pasta also known as penne lisce. It has a tubular shape with angled cut ends and a smooth or sometimes ridged surface. This Italian pasta is often used in baked pasta casseroles, just like this one, and holds up well to hearty meat sauces. You can easily substitute regular penne pasta if you can’t find mostaccioli pasta.
Ingredients For Baked Mostaccioli
Here’s everything that you need to make this cheesy, hearty, Mostaccioli recipe:
Mostaccioli: We’re using just 8 oz. or ½ lb. of mostaccioli pasta in this recipe.
Italian Sausage: I used mild Italian sausage instead of ground beef for an extra boost of flavor, but you can substitute with ground beef or even ground turkey if you prefer.
Onion and garlic: Aromatics like onion and garlic give the pasta sauce lots of flavor.
Tomato paste: A little bit of tomato paste added to the sauce helps thicken it up and intensifies the tomato flavor.
Crushed and Diced Tomatoes: Two types of canned tomatoes add texture, flavor, and build the sauce for this recipe. You can also use a jar of store-bought pasta sauce or make our homemade marinara sauce instead!
Seasoning: A mix of Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper season the rest of the meat sauce. And a little bit of sugar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
Cheese Layer: The cheese layer is made with a combination of ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. It’s then seasoned with salt, pepper, and some fresh chopped parsley. I’ve used this cheese combination a few times in recipes like my lasagna soup and stuffed shells. It’s so good and tastes great with this baked pasta recipe!
Recipe Variations
Substitute the Italian sausage for ground beef if that’s what you have on hand. You can also check to see if your local store carries Italian turkey sausage instead.
Got a favorite brand of marinara sauce? Feel free to use that in place of canned & crushed tomatoes to help make your pasta sauce.
You can easily substitute mostaccioli pasta for penne or ziti pasta. You can also try out our Baked Ziti recipe if you love baked pasta recipes as much as I do ;)
Serving Suggestions
I always love serving Italian pasta dishes with some fresh homemade garlic bread. It’s super easy to make and tastes so much better than store-bought garlic bread. Even though this dish is pretty hearty on its own, you can also add a simple side salad or Caesar salad to complete the meal.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add the pasta. Cook the pasta until they’re al dente, making sure not to over cook them. Drain in a colander and then rinse briefly with cool water and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the cooking oil. Brown the Italian sausage.
Once the sausage has browned, add the diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté over medium heat until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
Next add the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and tomato paste to the skillet. Stir until combined. Then add the crushed and diced tomatoes and sugar to the skillet. Stir everything together until well combined. Reduce the heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer for 3 minutes.
Now add the cooked pasta to the skillet and carefully mix together with the meat sauce.
While the sauce is simmering, make the cheese filling. In a medium bowl add the ricotta, 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, 1/4 cup grated parmesan, chopped parsley, salt, black pepper, and the egg. Stir all of the ingredients together well.
Now it’s time to assemble. In a large 9×13-inch casserole dish add half of the pasta sauce in the bottom of the dish. This will serve as the first layer. Next spread the cheese mixture on top of the pasta sauce. Now add the rest of the pasta sauce on top of the cheese in an even layer.
Sprinkle 1 cup shredded mozzarella and 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese over the top.
Loosely place some tented aluminum foil over the casserole dish and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes remove the foil and bake uncovered for 10 more minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling up around the edges. Serve hot and enjoy!
How to Make Baked Mostaccioli – Step by Step Photos
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add 8oz. (1/2 lb.) mostaccioli pasta. Cook the pasta until they’re al dente, making sure not to over cook them. Drain in a colander and then rinse briefly with cool water and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1/2 tbsp cooking oil. Brown 1 lb. mild Italian sausage.
Once the sausage has browned, add 1 diced yellow onion and 2 minced garlic cloves to the skillet. Sauté over medium heat until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
Next add 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 3 oz. tomato paste to the skillet. Stir until combined.
Then add 1-15 oz. can crushed tomatoes, 1-14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, and 1/2 Tbsp sugar to the skillet. Stir everything together until well combined. Reduce the heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer for 3 minutes.
Now add the cooked pasta to the skillet and carefully mix together with the meat sauce.
While the sauce is simmering, make the cheese filling. In a medium bowl add 15 oz. whole milk ricotta, 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, 1/4 cup grated parmesan, 2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1 large beaten egg. Stir all of the ingredients together well.
Now it’s time to assemble. In a large 9×13-inch casserole dish add half of the pasta sauce in the bottom of the dish. This will serve as the first layer. Next spread the cheese mixture on top of the pasta sauce.
Now add the rest of the pasta sauce on top of the cheese in an even layer.
Now add the rest of the pasta sauce on top of the cheese in an even layer. Then sprinkle 1 cup shredded mozzarella and 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese over the top. Loosely place some tented aluminum foil over the casserole dish and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes remove the foil and bake uncovered for 10 more minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling up around the edges.
Serve this hearty baked mostaccioli pasta dish with some crusty garlic bread and maybe a quick side salad and enjoy!
This Crockpot Mac and Cheese is a definite game-changer for those big holiday meals and family gatherings. It’s creamy and delicious with minimal prep!
The easiest way to make a batch of creamy macaroni and cheese for your next family gathering or Sunday dinner is with this easy Crockpot Mac and Cheese. It only takes a couple minutes to prep and then everything gets added to a slow cooker for a simple side dish with minimal effort. It also frees up your time and oven to make some of your other favorite dishes. It’s a definite game-changer for those big holiday meals! ;)
Ingredients For Crockpot Mac and Cheese
Here’s everything that you need to make this creamy Crockpot Mac and Cheese recipe:
Macaroni: You’ll need about 8 oz. of elbow macaroni, but feel free to use any small pasta shape you like or have on hand.
Evaporated Milk and half & half: After testing this recipe several times, a combination of evaporated milk and half & half gave me the best consistency in cheese sauce.
Cheddar Cheese: I used a combination of 2 sharp cheddars in this recipe, but you can certainly just use one type of cheddar cheese instead. Sharp cheddar provides a strong pronounced flavor which tastes great in mac and cheese, but any kind of cheddar works well. And as always buy cheese in block form and shred it yourself for the best results. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking agents and doesn’t always melt well.
Seasoning: There are lots of ways to season your mac and cheese to add extra pops of flavor. I used one of our favorite seasoning blends in the budget bytes kitchen and that is Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning along with some salt and pepper. That’s it! But feel free to experiment with your favorite seasoning mix. I’ll share a few more flavor ideas below.
Variations
Looking to mix things up? Feel free to experiment with different cheeses and seasoning blends to really make this mac and cheese your own. Here are some more cheese options to choose from:
Gruyere
Gouda
Extra Sharp Cheddar
Parmesan
Pepper Jack
Cream Cheese
Velveeta
For seasoning try switching out the Creole seasoning for a different seasoning salt like Lawry’s. You can also create your own mix with a combination of spices like garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.
Recipe Tips!
Don’t overcook the pasta. You’ll want to just parboil the pasta for a few minutes, then quickly drain and rinse cool water.
Use block cheese instead of pre-shredded cheese for the best texture and consistency.
Cook times may vary depending on the age and model of your slow cooker. Stir and check the mac and cheese after one hour and then again every 30 minutes until the noodles are perfectly cooked and not mushy, and the cheese is melted.
This Crockpot Mac and Cheese is a definite game-changer for those big holiday meals and family gatherings. It's creamy and delicious with minimal prep!
Start by shredding both blocks of sharp cheddar cheese and set the cheese to the side.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the macaroni for 4 minutes, then drain it in a colander. Briefly rinse the pasta with cool water to cool it off.
Spray the inside of the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Add the al dente macaroni and butter. Stir the butter around with the macaroni to help it start melting. Now add the rest of the ingredients (1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar, shredded white sharp cheddar, half & half, evaporated milk, tony chachere’s seasoning, salt, and black pepper) to the slow cooker. Stir everything together until well combined.
Cover and cook on low heat for 2 hours, stirring after 1 hour.
During the last 15 minutes of cooking, remove the top and add the remaining ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese on top. Cover and finish cooking the last 15 minutes until the cheese on top is melted. Serve hot and enjoy!
How to Make CrockPot Mac And Cheese – Step by Step Photos
Start by shredding 2 cups sharp cheddar and 1 cup white sharp cheddar and set the cheese to the side.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the macaroni for 4 minutes, then drain it in a colander. Briefly rinse the pasta with cool water to cool it off.
Spray the inside of the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Add the al dente macaroni and 3 Tbsp cubed butter. Stir the butter around with the macaroni to help it start melting. Now add the rest of the ingredients (1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar, 1 cup shredded white sharp cheddar, 1 1/2 cups half & half, 1-12oz. can evaporated milk, 3/4 tsp tony chachere’s seasoning, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper) to the slow cooker. Stir everything together until well combined.
Cover and cook on low heat for 2 hours, stirring after 1 hour.
During the last 15 minutes of cooking, remove the top and add the remaining ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese on top. Cover and finish cooking for 15 more minutes until the cheese on top is melted.
Now all that’s left to do is enjoy this easy, cheesy, mac and cheese goodness!!
This baked pasta is a cold-weather crowd-pleaser made of alternating layers of broken farro pasta, sliced potatoes, two cheeses, and mustardy shredded cabbage. It’s the sort of thing you can prep a day or two ahead of time, and bake when convenient.
This is a hearty, rustic, warm-you-from-the-inside baked pasta casserole. It’s what to make when the weather report icons are snowflakes or thunderclouds. Mustard notes cut into the starchy goodness of potatoes and pasta. Dueling cheeses bridge all the components, and shredded cabbage and leeks deliver winter green. It’s the sort of thing you can prep a day or two ahead of time, then bake when convenient. The sort of food that pairs well with a stormy night.
Why I Love This Recipe
Let’s break it down a bit. The thing that makes this recipe special is arguably the play between the starchiness of the pasta and potatoes and the more intense bite of the mustard. You can, of course, adjust the amount of mustard to your liking. The amount note down below is straight up the middle. It’s neither meek or assertive once the casserole is baked. But keep in mind, the type of mustard you will also be a factor. What I’m trying to say is: feel free to adjust to your tastes. You can see the chop of the cabbage in the photo up above. But note, you can cut it more finely if you like the cabbage to blend in more. Alternately, you might go with wider ribbons if you like the cabbage component more pronounced. You can see the pasta component below – before boiling and after.
Baked Pasta: Serving Ideas
This begs to be served alongside a big green salad. Something like this kale salad. Or, this Anna Jones salad is always a hit. If you’re up some something a bit unexpected and absolutely awesome, this cilantro salad is your move.
If a salad feels too ambitious, roast some broccoli while the casserole is baking, and do a roasted version of this Broccoli Apple Salad. This roasted broccoli is also always quick to disappear. And one last idea, if you have any kale chips on hand, I love to shower the baked pasta with them before serving.
Inspiration and Variations
Like most casseroles or lasagnas, this is a bit of a project. But, in the end, there is a good amount of food to enjoy, and the leftovers are great. There are also endless ways to tweak it.
Kid-friendly: If you have kids, I imagine a version with macaroni elbows could work.
Buckwheat Pizzoccheri: The inspiration for today’s recipe came from a buckwheat casserole I would make from The Martha Stewart Living Christmas Cookbook (red cover edition). She used a buckwheat pizzoccheri and savoy cabbage. The inspiration was likely the popular northern Italian pizzoccheri dish featuring traditional buckwheat pasta of the region, cabbage, cheese and a generous amount of butter. Her version is baked and has served as a great jumping off point over the years. You’ll see in the recipe that I call for farro tagliatelle, but you’ll have success with a wide range of pasta shapes and types. For example, fettuccine, penne, broken lasagne, etc. And you can experiment beyond farro – whole wheat pastas, buckwheat, spelt, they’ll all work nicely here.
Shredded Brussels Sprouts: I like to make the Brussels Sprouts “Slaw” with Mustard Butter from The Essential New York Times Cookbook (red cover). I can imagine using sprouts in place of the cabbage here if you’re more of a sprout fan, or if that is what you happen to have on hand.
The first time I heard of a Tex-Italian tortellini dish, it was referenced on a restaurant menu that has a reputation for this type of fusion. It’s in Lubbock, and…
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The first time I heard of a Tex-Italian tortellini dish, it was referenced on a restaurant menu that has a reputation for this type of fusion. It’s in Lubbock, and...
Alright friends, are you ready for soup season? This Lasagna Soup recipe is in the running for one of my favorite soups of all time, yes it’s that good!! It has all of the classic flavors of lasagna, including Italian sausage, crushed tomatoes, and lots of herbs and spices, but is conveniently made in one pot. Add a cheesy topping on top, grab some garlic bread, and before you know it you have the most delicious, hearty, and satisfying meal.
What Is Lasagna Soup?
Lasagna soup is everything you love about regular lasagna, but conveniently made in one pot for a cozy and hearty soup! It includes the same bold flavors and traditional ingredients of lasagna, but made in an easy and more approachable way. So whenever you have a taste for lasagna and you don’t want to bother with all of those layers, now you can make this delicious lasagna soup instead!
Ingredients For Lasagna Soup
Here are the ingredients you need to make this delicious lasagna soup recipe:
Italian Sausage: I used Italian sausage for the meat component since it’s pre-seasoned with herbs and spices and adds lots of flavor to the soup.
Aromatics: Onion, bell pepper, and garlic adds wonderful aromatics and more depth of flavor to the soup.
Tomatoes: A combination of crushed and diced tomatoes adds texture and lots of flavor to the soup. Tomato paste is also added to help thicken the soup.
Lasagna Noodles: Of course it wouldn’t be lasagna soup without the noodles! Just classic, curly-edged lasagna noodles is all you’ll need (not the no-bake noodles).
Seasoning: A mix of Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to season the soup.
Sugar: A little bit of sugar to balance the acidity of all the tomatoes.
Chicken Broth: The soup and the noodles cook in the chicken broth until the noodles are tender.
Cheese Topping: Instead of mixing cheese directly in the soup, I added a cheese topping on top. This way everyone can add exactly the amount of cheese they want in their soup or leave it out all together. This 3-cheese combo topping is definitely one of my favorite components of this soup, so I highly recommend it!😉
Recipe Tips & Variations
On a budget? Just use half of the Italian sausage and save the other half for a different recipe. Trust me this soup will still be delicious!
Substitute Italian sausage for ground beef or ground turkey. You may need to add a little more seasoning if you decide to go this route. You can also check to see if your grocery store has Italian turkey sausage instead.
Want to add more veggies? Try adding some sliced mushrooms, carrots, or spinach to the soup. Sauté the mushrooms and carrots at the same time as the bell peppers and onions. Add any leafy greens towards the end of the cook time.
If you want to make the soup dairy-free you can easily leave the cheese topping off altogether or use a combination of your favorite plant-based ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese.
Serving Suggestions
Since this soup is so filling you can definitely keep the sides simple. I recommend serving it with some of our popular homemade garlic bread. It’s super easy to make and tastes 10x better than store-bought garlic bread. You can also add a simple side salad or Caesar salad on the side to complete the meal.
Storing & Freezing Leftovers
If you’re lucky enough to have any leftovers, first allow the soup to cool. Then divide the soup into single serving containers and store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. If you are taking this soup in your lunch, this allows you to easily grab and heat up one serving at a time. For longer storage, place the lasagna soup in freezer-safe containers, and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, first allow the soup to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then reheat on the stovetop until warmed through.
Heat a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat and add the oil. Crumble and brown the Italian sausage.
Once the sausage has browned, add the diced onion, diced bell pepper, and minced garlic to the pot. Continue to sauté over medium heat until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
Now add the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, sugar, red pepper flakes, and chicken broth. Stir all the ingredients together well. Place a lid on the pot, and bring the pot up to a boil.
While the pot is heating up, break the lasagna noodles into one to two-inch pieces. Add the noodles to the pot and give the soup a stir.
Replace the lid, turn the heat down slightly to medium heat and continue boiling the soup for 12-14 minutes or until the lasagna noodles are tender.
While the soup and noodles are boiling, make the ricotta cheese topping. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, shredded mozzarella, grated parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, black pepper, and a pinch of salt. Mix the ingredients together.
Once the soup is done and the lasagna noodles are tender, remove the pot from the heat. Serve this lasagna soup with 1-2 tablespoons of the cheese topping, extra fresh parsley, and garlic bread on the side. Enjoy!
Heat a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp cooking oil. Crumble and brown 1 lb. Italian sausage.
Once the sausage has browned, add 1 diced onion, 1 diced red bell pepper, and 4 minced garlic cloves to the pot. Continue to sauté over medium heat until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
Now add 2 Tbsp tomato paste, 1-15oz. can crushed tomatoes, 1-14oz. can diced tomatoes, 2 tsp Italian seasoning, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, 2 tsp sugar, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, and 5 cups chicken broth. Stir all the ingredients together well. Place a lid on the pot, and bring the pot up to a boil.
While the pot is heating up, break 8 lasagna noodles into one to two-inch pieces.
Add the noodles to the pot and give the soup a stir. Replace the lid, turn the heat down slightly to medium heat and continue boiling the soup for 12-14 minutes or until the lasagna noodles are tender.
While the soup and noodles are boiling, make the ricotta cheese topping. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 Tbsp chopped parsley, 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, and a pinch of salt.
Mix all of the ingredients together well.
Once the soup is done and the lasagna noodles are tender, remove the pot from the heat.
Serve this lasagna soup with 1-2 tablespoons of the cheese topping, extra parsley, and garlic bread on the side. Enjoy!
We’ve created the creamiest Chicken Spinach Alfredo recipe, a from-scratch dinner you can easily make at home. Ready in 30 minutes, it’s a meal the whole family will love.
We've created the creamiest Chicken Spinach Alfredo recipe, a from-scratch dinner you can easily make at home. Ready in 30 minutes, it's a meal the whole family will love.
This easy Halloween pasta recipe is ghoulish, fun and perfect for an easy Halloween dinner. Spaghetti and eyeballs is so great for Halloween and so easy to make. I often use store-bought meatballs and jarred sauce (especially great if you want a cute …
This easy Halloween pasta recipe is ghoulish, fun and perfect for an easy Halloween dinner. Spaghetti and eyeballs is so great for Halloween and so easy to make. I often use store-bought meatballs and jarred sauce (especially great if you want a cute meal in a pinch). For this recipe I used my air fryer...
