5 from 1 vote

Pasta al Forno - Italian Pasta Bake

Italian pasta al forno is the perfect Sunday comfort food! Layered with bolognese sauce and creamy béchamel, it’s a cozy, crowd-pleasing dish.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Serving: 6

Calories: 645kcal

Author: Andrea Soranidis

Ingredients

500 g pasta, such as penne, rigatoni, ziti
400 g bolognese sauce, approx 1½ US cups
240 g bechamel sauce, approx 1 US cup, optional
4 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
150 g fresh mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Heat the oven to 180°C (360°F) or 160°C (with fan option on) or gas mark 4.
Place a large pan of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Lightly season with sea salt, then add the pasta and cook for about 7-8 minutes.
Check the cooking time on the pasta packaging, and cook the pasta very al dente, approximately 4-5 minutes before recommended cooking time.
Drain the pasta and transfer it back into the pan. Add in the bolognese sauce and mix all the ingredients.
Transfer the pasta to a 6x8 inches baking dish or an oven-friendly pan, and spoon the béchamel sauce over the top, then sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese over the pasta.
Bake the pasta al forno for around 15-20 minutes. If you want some nice crunchy brown spots, set the baking dish under the grill for 2-3 minutes extra. Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly and serve.

Notes

If you skip the béchamel sauce, I recommend adding an extra layer of melty cheese such as mozzarella or provolone cheese.

For a vegetarian version, swap the bolognese sauce with tomato sauce.

For a richer version, add chopped boiled eggs, slices of cooked ham, homemade meatballs, sliced salami or tiny mortadella cubes.

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Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.