Go Back
–+ servings
A square dish of baked pasta bolognese.

Bolognese Pasta Bake

Robyn
This cheesy bolognese pasta bake is made with minced beef in a rich bolognese sauce, with tender pasta and gooey cheese. It's a comforting dinner kids love!
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Add to Collection
Prep Time 16 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 21 minutes
Course dinner
Cuisine International
Servings 4 -6 people
Calories 692 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 large pan for boiling the pasta
  • 1 large pan for cooking the bolognese sauce
  • oven proof baking dish or casserole dish approx. 25 cm x 25 cm / 10 inches x 10 inches

Ingredients
  

Bolognese Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion finely diced
  • 1 carrot diced
  • 1 stick celery finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 450g 1 lb minced beef
  • 2 tablespoons tomato puree tomato paste
  • 120 ml ½ c red wine or add more stock or water
  • 240 ml 1 c beef stock
  • 800 g 28oz tinned crushed tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano or dried thyme
  • salt
  • black pepper

Pasta Bake:

  • 450 g 1 lb dried penne pasta or ziti
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 200 g 2c mozzarella cheese grated
  • 240 ml 1 c pasta cooking water

Instructions
 

Make the bolognese sauce:

  • In a large pan or deep skillet fry the diced onion in the oil over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
  • Add the diced carrot and celery and fry for 5 minutes until soft.
  • Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  • Turn the heat up and add the minced beef, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.
  • Once the beef is browned, stir in the tomato puree / paste, then add the wine and simmer for 2 minutes until evaporated and the alcohol smell has disappeared.
  • Add the beef stock / broth, crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, dried oregano and season with salt and black pepper.
  • Bring to a boil then turn the heat down and simmer with the lid off for 30 minutes until thickened.

Prepare the pasta bake:

  • Preheat the oven to 180˚C fan / 200˚C / 350˚F
  • Cook the pasta in salted water according to packet directions, MINUS one minute. Drain, reserving a cup / 240ml of the pasta cooking water.
  • Mix the cooked pasta with the Bolognese sauce, and half of the saved pasta water. If the mixture seems dry add a little more of the pasta water.
  • Place into an oven proofdish and sprinkle over the grated mozzarella.
  • Spray a piece of foil with a little oil, then cover the pasta with the foil, oil side facing down. (This helps stop the cheese from sticking to the foil).
  • Place in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, then remove foil and bake for 10 minutes until the mozzarella is golden and bubbling.
  • Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.
  • Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Notes

Fridge: Keep any leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer: this pasta bake is best assembled and frozen BEFORE baking. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge overnight. If freezing after baking, best to heat in the microwave otherwise it can dry out in the oven.
MEAL PREP / MAKE AHEAD
    • Making ahead – combine the sauce and pasta and store in the refrigerator for up to a day. Allow an extra 5-10 minutes cooking time.
    • Make double the batch of sauce and freeze half for a quick dinner later in the week – simply boil the pasta, assemble and bake!
Nutrition calculated based on 6 servings.
INGREDIENTS NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS
  • Red wine – use a medium bodied red wine, or for a lighter flavour you can use white wine. If you don’t want to use wine, use extra beef stock / broth or water.
  • Beef stock – or use vegetable stock or chicken stock, both of which will create a slightly less rich bolognese.
  • Crushed tomatoes – or use tomato puree / tomato passata.
  • Worcestershire sauce – this adds an extra flavour to the sauce. You can leave it out if you prefer.
  • Dried pasta – I have used penne, but you can use your favourite dried pasta such as rigatoni, macaroni, ziti or fusilli.
  • Mozzarella cheese – or use Gouda, Emmental, or a combination.

Nutrition

Calories: 692kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 34gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 936mgPotassium: 1001mgFiber: 6gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 2274IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 265mgIron: 5mg
Keyword baked pasta bolognese, baked pasta with mince

HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?

I'd love to see your creation!

Or just leave a comment below!