One-Pot Cheesy Pasta Bake (Printable)

A cozy dish featuring tender pasta, melted cheese, and tomato sauce cooked all in one pot.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta such as penne, fusilli, or rigatoni

→ Sauce

02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
06 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
07 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
08 - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
09 - 1 teaspoon salt
10 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11 - 2 cups vegetable broth or water

→ Cheeses

12 - 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
13 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
14 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or basil

# Directions:

01 - Heat oven to 400°F.
02 - In a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes if using, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine.
05 - Add the uncooked pasta and vegetable broth. Stir well, ensuring the pasta is submerged.
06 - Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is just al dente.
07 - Remove from heat. Stir in half of the mozzarella and cheddar cheeses.
08 - Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella, cheddar, and all of the Parmesan cheese evenly over the top.
09 - Transfer the pot to the oven and bake uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
10 - Let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley or basil before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything happens in one pot, which means less time scrubbing and more time actually enjoying your dinner.
  • The cheese layers create this irresistible golden crust that somehow feels fancy despite being genuinely simple.
  • It feeds a family without requiring you to juggle multiple pans or complicated timing.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting period—I learned this the hard way when overeager dinner guests burned their mouths, and it's genuinely not worth the chaos.
  • The pasta needs to be slightly underdone after the stovetop cooking because it finishes in the oven and will keep absorbing liquid; rushing this step turns everything into mush.
03 -
  • For a deeper flavor, let the sauce simmer uncovered on the stovetop for an extra 5 minutes after adding the tomatoes—this concentrates everything.
  • If you want a meatier version, brown ground beef or sausage first, drain the fat, and fold it in right before adding the pasta; it disappears into the sauce beautifully.
Go Back