Bolognese pasta bake

This rich and aromatic Bolognese pasta bake is perfect for busy weeknights or feeding a crowd as it can easily be made in bulk and frozen.

Pasta bakes are a fantastic way to save time, money and effort. Whether it’s a simple family dinner or feeding a crowd, pasta bakes are one of my fail-safe recipes and always a crowd pleaser. This delectable Bolognese pasta bake is no different.

Everyone needs to know how to make Bolognese sauce and my easy Bolognese sauce recipe is pretty classic. I keep it simple by flavoring the beef mince/ground beef with tomatoes, onions, carrots, celery and garlic. I like to cook it low and slow to allow all the flavors to marry and for the beef to get super tender. The Bolognese is just dreamy served over spaghetti but there are so many more ways to use it.

This oven baked pasta Bolognese is just one of many ideas. It’s the kind of comfort food you associate with your mom and home. Warm and rich and absolutely delicious and pretty much a lazy quick version of lasagna. It’s also the kind of thing I love making in bulk and freezing for nights when I’m just too lazy or tired to stand in the kitchen for more than 10 minutes.

If you want to freeze this recipe, I would suggest letting it cool down completely at room temperature. Press a piece of baking paper onto the surface then wrap well with foil and plastic wrap before placing in the freezer. When it comes to baking, simply remove all the wrapping and baking paper and place on a rimmed baking sheet before baking for 1-1½ hours or until hot and bubbly throughout. It’s the simplest, most delicious dinner you can make.

Serve this Bolognese pasta bake with a bright and crunchy green salad or warm garlic bread to mop up all the sauce for the ultimate casual dinner.

5 from 5 votes

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Bolognese pasta bake

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

45 mins

 

This rich and aromatic bolognese pasta bake is perfect for busy weeknights or feeding a crowd as it can easily be made in bulk and frozen.

Course: Bolognese, Dinner, Lunch, Pasta, Pasta bake

Servings: 4 -6

Author: Alida Ryder

Ingredients

• 3 cups Bolognese sauce
• 2 cups Bechamel sauce
• 500 g 1 lb pasta of your choice, cooked al dente (reserve 1 cup cooking water)
• 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200ºc.
2. Combine the bolognese, bechamel and cooked pasta and mix well. Add a little of the pasta cooking water to loosen the consistency, if necessary.
3. Transfer half of the pasta to an oven-proof casserole dish then sprinkle over half of the cheese.
4. Add the remaining pasta and top with the rest of the cheese.
5. Place in the oven and bake until bubbling and the top is golden.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

If you are making this ahead, assemble the pasta and cover well before refrigerating for up to a day or freezing for up to a month. Bake from frozen but allow for up to 30 minutes more baking time.

More pasta bake recipes you will love:

Chicken Cordon Bleu pasta bake 

Butternut and buffalo mozzarella pasta bake