Baked Mostaccioli con Ricotta

Baked mostaccioli con ricotta is one of the best pasta recipes for Sunday dinner or the weeknight. This cheesy layered pasta is made with Italian sausage, red sauce and three different kinds of cheese!

Baked mostaccioli was a staple at graduation parties or special occasions when we lived in the midwest. It's a hearty and delicious pasta recipe that whole family will love. The best thing about this traditional mostaccioli recipe is that it is both great when made fresh or when made ahead.

Serve this mostaccioli con ricotta for family dinner with slow cooker beef sandwiches, and a loaf of italian pesto bread or cheesy garlic bread!

Jump to:

• 🍅 Ingredient notes
• 📋 Substitutions and variations
• 🔪 Step by step instructions
• ⭐ Expert tips
• ⏲️ Make ahead instructions
• 🥡 Storage suggestions
• 🍝 More Italian recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

🍅 Ingredient notes

• Mostaccioli - This tubular pasta has angled edges and is smooth on the outside. It's similar to rigatoni, penne or ziti pasta which also can be used as a substitute for this mostaccioli recipe if needed.
• Sausage - Ground Italian sausage adds a wonderful flavor, texture and heartiness to the meat sauce in this dish. Mild italian sausage won't add a ton of spice, where as hot Italian sausage will make this an extra zesty dish.
• Sauce - My homemade italian gravy is always my go to for red sauce. Your favorite store bought marinara sauce or pasta sauce will also work.
• Cheese - A combination of creamy ricotta, melty mozzarella and salty parmesan are used to make a fresh ricotta cheese sauce that is layered in the middle of the pasta. I recommend using full fat or whole milk versions for the best flavor and texture. Asiago or pecorino romano cheese would be other great additions to mix in or add on top.

📋 Substitutions and variations

• White Sauce - Substitute the red sauce in this recipe for alfredo sauce.
• Other Meat - Try grilled chicken strips, mini meatballs or ground beef.
• Spicy - Add a ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the sauce.
• Vegetarian - Omit the Italian sausage to make this a vegetarian baked mostaccioli.
• Gluten Free - Use your favorite gluten free pasta to make this dish gluten free.
• For a Crowd - This recipe can be scaled up to serve a crowd. Plan for about 8 servings per 9x13 pan.

🔪 Step by step instructions

First, boil the uncooked mostaccioli in a large pot of salted water to cook it according to the package instructions. Drain it from the pasta water and set it aside.

In a dutch oven or large skillet, brown the italian sausage over medium heat and then cook it for another minute with the fresh garlic.

Mix the tomato sauce into the cooked sausage mixture along with the pasta and then set that aside. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta and mozzarella cheeses with the italian seasoning and a large egg and stir until it's well combined.

Spoon half of the pasta mixture in an even layer into a 9x13 baking dish or large casserole dish and then dollop the cheese mixture on top of the pasta. Next, top the ricotta mixture with the remaining pasta and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.

Cover the dish tightly in foil and bake in a 375˚ oven for about 40 minutes until melted and bubbly. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for 5-10 more minutes to brown the cheese.

⭐ Expert tips

• Cook the pasta in boiling salted water to help flavor the pasta. 4 quarts of water with 1 Tablespoon of water mixed in after boiling is the perfect ratio for 1 pound of pasta.
• Make sure to cook the mostaccioli noodles until they are just al dente. This means that it is cooked through, but still has a slight bite to it. This will help to make sure the pasta isn't mushy when it's baked with the sauce and cheese. Follow the package directions for timing.
• Bake the dish covered for the first 40 minutes so that pasta heats up nicely and doesn't dry out.
• After removing the foil, If the cheese isn't browning as much as you would like, flip on the broiler for a couple of minutes to finish browning it.

⏲️ Make ahead instructions

REFRIGERATOR: Prepare unbaked mostaccoli and allow it to cool completely in the refrigerator, uncovered. Once cooled, cover with foil and store up to 24 hours before cooking it in the oven. 10-15 additional minutes of cooking time may be needed.

FREEZER: Prepare unbaked mostaccoli and allow it to cool completely in the refrigerator, uncovered. Once cooled, cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and then foil and store in the freezer for up to two months. Mostaccioli can be baked from frozen, but will need an additional 15-20 minutes of cooking time.

🥡 Storage suggestions

Leftover baked mostaccioli con ricotta will keep in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container for 3-5 days and can be reheated in the oven or microwave.

For a quick overview of this recipe, check out my web story for this easy baked mostaccioli with sausage.

🍝 More Italian recipes

If you loved this recipe for baked mostaccioli con ricotta, check out these other Italian recipes that I know you will love too!

• Pastina with Egg
• Bucatini Cacio e Pepe
• Italian Lemon Olive Oil Cake
• Chicken Cacciatore

📖 Recipe