Sometimes the only thing you really need is comfort food. Maybe it’s fried chicken or mashed potatoes or some kind of cheesy pasta, but every once and a while it feels good to splurge and give in to comfort food staples. And if you’re Italian, that probably means a pasta bake. A pasta bake is essentially an Italian pasta casserole. Lasagna is technically a pasta bake, but there’s such a wide variety of pasta bake recipes that it would be a huge oversight to ignore the others. Here’s four pasta bake dishes that are perfect for comfort food-filled family dishes.
1. BLT Pasta Bake
What do fusilli pasta, crispy bacon, tomatoes, and ricotta cheese all have in common? They’re found in this to-die-for pasta bake. This one is a surefire crowd pleaser, but keep in mind that prep and cook time will take about an hour, so it’s not the quickest pasta bake out there. Find the recipe here.
2. Tomato Mac and Cheese
Trade a traditional mac n’ cheese for this twist on a classic. This baked mac and cheese is topped with delicious roasted tomatoes, and uses mustard powder, paprika, and cheddar to create a creamy cheese sauce. Get the recipe here.
3. Creamy Baked Fettuccine
What could be better than fettuccini alfredo? Well, baked fettuccini alfredo. This pasta bake takes the traditional alfredo sauce and pairs it with asiago cheese, creme fraiche, parmesan, and thyme for a delicious baked pasta dish that the entire family will love. Get the recipe here.
4. Baked Rigatoni with Bechamel Sauce
This simple pasta bake takes rigatoni and pairs it with ham or prosciutto and tosses it into a fontina cheese bechamel sauce before baking. The prosciutto and the bechamel pair perfectly together, and the end result is a rich, creamy dish that melts in your mouth. Find the recipe here.
Want more? Check out these 5 delicious pasta dishes from around the world!
