Easy Pasta al Forno

Name: Pasta al Forno
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1/2 white onion (diced); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 lb ground Italian sausage; 24 oz marinara sauce; 1 lb short pasta (such as rigatoni or penne); 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (divided); 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese; Fresh parsley or basil (for serving)

You'll love this easy Pasta al Forno recipe. It's so simple to make and so delicious!

Recipe Inspiration

This Italian pasta bake will be one of your new favorite dinner recipes! I grew up loving baked pasta dishes at restaurants, so I wanted to create my own version for the blog.

This Pasta al Forno has Italian sausage, marinara, and cheese to create a really simple pasta dish. It's super easy and will be a family favorite in no time.

I love serving this as a side for special occasions. It's definitely a crowd pleaser - plus, it's super easy!

If you want to make this ahead, prep everything the day before and then pop in the oven and bake when you're ready to serve the next day.

If you're looking for more baked pasta recipes, check out our Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese, Blackened Cajun Salmon Pasta, Italian Mac and Cheese, and Four Cheese Pasta!

Jump to:

Recipe Inspiration
Why You'll Love this Recipe
Ingredients
Directions
Expert Tips and Tricks
Kitchen Equipment
Recipe Substitutions/Variations
What To Serve With
Frequently Asked Questions
Recipe Storage and Reheating
Other Recipes to Try
Pasta al Forno

Why You'll Love this Recipe

Delicious - This pasta recipe is so delicious. Each bite is packed with flavor that your family will truly love! It's really a perfect dish for the whole family. Great for entertaining large crowds too!

Approachable - This pasta dish is approachable and is easy to make. You only need a few kitchen tools to make this great recipe. The best part of this pasta recipe is easy enough to make for a weeknight, but also fancy-feeling enough to make for a date night!

Kid Friendly - This is a great recipe for adults and children! It's an ultimate comfort food that everyone will love.

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need for this recipe:

Olive Oil - Use regular olive oil in this recipe
White Onion - Diced
Garlic - Minced
Italian Sausage - Mild or hot, whichever you prefer. You can also use ground beef or chicken.
Marinara Sauce - Store bought, homemade, or leftover! I made this with leftover red sauce and it was a perfect way to repurpose leftovers!
Short Pasta - Rigatoni pasta or penne pasta are great choices
Mozzarella Cheese - Use store bought shredded or shred your own!
Grated Parmesan Cheese - Store bought or grate your own
Fresh Herbs - For serving. I love topping with chopped fresh parsley or fresh basil!

Directions

Let's make this cheesy pasta al forno recipe together!

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350F.

Step 2

Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until softened, about 4-5 minutes.

Step 3

Add garlic and Italian sausage and cook until the sausage is browned, about 6-7 minutes. Add marinara sauce to the pan and reduce heat to low.

Step 4

Cook pasta in salted, boiling large pot of water until al dente according to package instructions. Drain and add cooked pasta and 1 cup mozzarella cheese to the meat sauce.

Step 5

Transfer to a greased 9x13 baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Top with parsley or basil and serve.

Expert Tips and Tricks

Here are some expert tips to make this delicious easy dinner recipe perfect.

Allow Sausage to Brown - Allowing the sausage to brown will add depth and flavor to this dish. Really allow it to brown all over before moving to the next step.

Complete the Meal - Complete the meal with a salad, garlic bread and a glass of red wine!

Utilize Leftovers - Use leftovers for meal prep. This baked pasta recipe makes a great meal option!

Kitchen Equipment

Here is some kitchen equipment you will need for this recipe. You can find all of these products on Amazon.

Baking Dish - Use a quality baking dish that will bake your rigatoni al forno easily! This baking dish is super high quality.

Large Skillet - Use a quality large skillet in this recipe. This is my favorite that I use every day!

Quality Pasta - Did you know that you can buy quality pasta on Amazon? Quality pasta will eliminate any mushy pasta and improve texture of the whole dish. I love this brand!

Recipe Substitutions/Variations

Here are some common recipe substitutions and variations for this easy recipe.

Vegetarian Version - Make this recipe vegetarian by omitting the meat from this baked pasta dish. You could even add in meat substitutes to replace the Italian sausage.

Protein Variation - You can use any other ground meat in this recipe - ground pork, chicken or beef are both great options!

Substitutions - You can substitute butter for olive oil, shallot for white onion, meat sauce for marinara sauce, or use any Italian herbs for topping.

What To Serve With

Here are some suggestion on what to serve this healthy meal with:

Frequently Asked Questions

What does al forno style mean?

'Al forno' means 'from the stove' in Italian. It's a style of cooking that is traditionally baked in a wood-fired oven.

Which region is pasta al forno from?

Pasta al forno originated in Southern Italy, which is famous for many baked pasta dishes.

Recipe Storage and Reheating

Here are storage and reheating instructions for this recipe.

Refrigerator Storage: Store in an airtight continuer and eat leftovers within 4-5 days.

Freezer Storage: Freeze in a freezer-safe, airtight container and keep for up to 3 months. When you're ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator and reheat as instructed below.

Reheating Instructions: The best way to reheat this recipe is to heat in a skillet with a little olive oil over low heat until warm.

Other Recipes to Try

Christina Musgrave of Tasting with Tina holding a fork.

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Pasta al Forno

Christina Musgrave

You'll love this easy Pasta al Forno recipe. It's so simple to make and so delicious!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Servings 8 servings

Calories 455 kcal

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
½ white onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 lb ground Italian sausage
24 oz marinara sauce
1 lb short pasta such as rigatoni or penne
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley or basil for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until softened, about 4-5 minutes.
Add garlic and Italian sausage and cook until the sausage is browned, about 6-7 minutes. Add marinara sauce to the pan and reduce heat to low.
Cook pasta in salted, boiling water until al dente. Drain and add cooked pasta and 1 cup mozzarella cheese to the sauce.
Transfer to a greased 9x13 baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Top with parsley or basil and serve.