Quick to prep and easy to make, this cheesy rotini bake needs only 5 ingredients to pull together. Your family will love this cheesy pasta bake, and you'll love how it stretches your grocery budget further.
SAVE THIS RECIPE
Enter your email below and we'll send it right to your inbox.
My family enjoys a cheesy pasta so much, I think it might be one of their favorite dinners. I do like to mix it up so sometimes I'll make a pink sauce or even a homemade chicken alfredo. When I know I have a busy night coming up and my grocery bill is feeling a bit stretched, this easy 5 ingredient pasta is a recipe to lean on.
Here is why this baked pasta dish is amazing:
- The Whole Family Will Enjoy - My family always compliments this easy meal, and I know yours will too. It's fast for me to throw together and it has flavors everyone seems to enjoy. I pair it with a fresh salad for a complete hearty meal.
- Easy To Prep Ahead - This is a great recipe to prep ahead and throw in the fridge. Then when you come home from work you can just pop it in the oven and dinner cooks itself.
- Budget Friendly Meal - Sometimes you just need to stretch that grocery bill a little more, and this recipe is great for making your budget last a little more.
Ingredients needed for this pasta recipe:
Baked rotini casserole ingredient notes:
- 16 ounces rotini pasta - any short pasta could be swapped into this recipe, like rigatoni or penne
- 4 cups marinara sauce - or use your favorite spaghetti sauce or pasta sauce
- 16 ounces cottage cheese - ricotta cheese can also be used
- 1 large egg gently whisked with a fork, if using a low fat cottage cheese I recommend using two eggs.
- 2 cups shredded cheese mozzarella cheese, Monterrey Jack cheese or cheddar cheese, divided, you can also use an Italian cheese blend.
Substitutions And Additions For This Rotini Pasta Bake
Add Cooked Meat - You can add cooked meat to this easy pasta recipe. Chicken, ground beef, ground turkey, smoked chicken sausage or Italian sausage are all great choices, but feel to get creative and use leftover protein you may have in the fridge.
Try Adding Vegetables- Chopped vegetables can be added to this dish though I recommend keeping the pieces on the smaller side. Some easy additions include broccoli, bell pepper, onion that can be added right to the dish.
Vegetables like spinach and zucchini are also great additions, but I recommend cooking them for a few minutes in a pan with a little oil first to remove some of the water so the whole dish doesn't become soggy. I also recommend adding a teaspoon of Italian seasoning and half a teaspoon of salt as you cook the vegetables.
How to make this easy baked rotini recipe
- Place a large pot of salted water over high heat. Once the water in boiling add the noodles. Cook pasta for 8-9 minutes until al dente. Drain pasta, saving ½ cup of pasta water to the side.
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Oil a 9 x 13 casserole dish lightly with spray cooking oil.
- Place the cooked rotini back in the pot but don't place over heat on the stove. Add marinara sauce and the pasta water to the pot with the noodles and mix well
- Add the egg, cottage cheese, and one cup of the shredded cheese to the pasta mixture and stir until combined.
- Pour the rotini noodle mixture in the casserole dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle with the remaining cup of shredded cheese.
- Place the baking dish in the oven. Bake the pasta for about 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Then serve and enjoy! Top with parmesan cheese or fresh parsley if desired.
How Long Does Baked Rotini Last?
Baked rotini will last about 4 days if stored in a covered container in the refrigerator. If you choose to add extra meat to this recipe expect that this dish will last for about three day.
How Do I Store Leftover Baked Rotini?
I usually store leftover baked rotini straight in the pan in the refrigerator. Just make sure to cover the top with aluminum foil or plastic wrap tightly.
Alternatively, you can store leftovers in any kind of sealed covered container with a lid in the refrigerator.
How To Reheat Leftover Baked Rotini
You can pop the entire casserole pan back into a warm 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes to reheat baked rotini straight in the pan.
Leftovers can also be reheated in the microwave.
Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:
Yes, this recipe can be prepped up to 24 hours in advance before baking and stored in the refrigerator. Expect it will take closer to 25-35 minutes to bake if cold from the refrigerator.
Yes leftovers of this recipe can be frozen and reheated in the microwave or in the oven. I recommend storing in freezer safe containers or freezer ziptop bags. Frozen leftovers will taste best if enjoyed withing 2-3 months.
Cheesy Baked Rotini Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 ounces rotini pasta
- 4 cups marinara sauce
- 16 ounces cottage cheese
- 1 large Egg gently whisked with a fork
- 2 cups shredded cheese mozzarella, Monterrey Jack or Cheddar, divided
Instructions
- Place a large pot of salted water over high heat. Once the water in boiling add the noodles. Cook for 8-9 minutes until al dente. Drain the noodles, saving ½ cup of pasta water to the side.
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Oil a 9 x 13 casserole dish lightly with spray cooking oil.
- Place the noodles back in the pot but don't place over heat on the stove. Add marinara sauce and the pasta water to the pot with the noodles and mix well
- Add the egg, cottage cheese, and one cup of the shredded cheese to the pasta mixture and stir until combined.
- Pour the pasta mixture in the casserole dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle with the remaining cup of shredded cheese.
- Place the baking dish in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Then serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
QR Code Instructions
Open the camera on your phone and scan the QR code below to go directly back to the full recipes at FunRecipeIdeas.com
this recipe was created by:
Fun Recipe Ideas Kitchen
We're a team of passionate food lovers dedicated to making cooking easy, fun, and stress-free.
Whether you need quick weeknight dinners, comforting classics, festive holiday favorites, or indulgent desserts, we've got you covered!
Comments
No Comments