5 ingredients is all you need to make this Easy Baked Rotini Pasta! This Easy Pasta Bake is a cheesy, gooey, kid friendly casserole that can feed a large crowd on a budget.
Looking for more recipes that use rotini noodles? Check out my recipe for Italian Pasta Salad, Instant Pot Creamy Italian Pasta, and Creamy Cajun Pasta.
Easy Baked Rotini Pasta
If you are looking for a meal that is cheap, kid-approved, easy to make, and delicious—you can stop searching!
This simple Pasta Bake checks all those boxes!
Made with only 5 ingredients and minimal prep time, Baked Rotini is not only a meal your family will love, but it is an EASY meal to make.
From the tender rotini noodles, to the creamy cottage cheese, to the marinara sauce, to the layer of melted cheese, this simple pasta dish is pure comfort!
And because it comes together within minutes with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand–this pasta bake makes you look like a rock star without a lot of effort! Making it a perfect recipe for busy weeknights or lazy weekends.
5 Ingredients for Easy Baked Pasta
- Rotini Noodles–You can use rigatoni or penne noodles if you like instead of rotini noodles, but the rotini noodles grasp the sauce perfectly and stay soft during baking. Use Gluten-Free Pasta to make this a Gluten-Free Baked Pasta.
- Spaghetti Sauce–Use your favorite jarred sauce or Homemade Tomato Sauce, just be sure it is one with really good flavor.
- Cottage Cheese–Cottage cheese makes this pasta bake creamy and hearty, while adding a bit of protein to each serving. If you don’t have cottage cheese, feel free to use ricotta cheese in place of the cottage cheese.
- Egg–The egg helps to bind the pasta together, but can easily be omitted for an Egg-Free Pasta Bake–just be sure your noodles are egg-free as well!
- Cheese–Cheese is the finishing touch to create a gooey, cheesy pasta dish that makes everyone beg for seconds! Use shredded mozzarella cheese or an Italian cheese blend.
How to Make Baked Rotini
Step One: Cook Rotini Noodles
- Cook pasta in heavily salted water for 1-2 minutes less than package suggests.
- Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.
Pro Tip: While pasta is cooking, use that time to prep a side salad or homemade garlic bread to serve with the pasta bake.
Step Two: Prepare Pasta Bake
- Mix cooked rotini noodles with tomato sauce, reserved cooking liquid, egg, cottage cheese, and sauce. The reserved cooking liquid will help bind the sauce evenly coat the rotini noodles.
- Pour into 9×13 pan or 2 quart casserole.
- Top evenly with shredded cheese.
Step Three: Bake Rotini Dish
- Bake the pasta bake, uncovered, until cheese melts and pasta is warmed through, about 30 minutes. If you prepped the garlic bread, pop into the oven for the last 10-15 minutes of the bake time.
- Serve baked pasta with Homemade Garlic Toast and a tossed salad with balsamic dressing for a meal everyone will sing your praises for!
Storing/Freezing Pasta Bake
This easy pasta bake is almost always found stashed in my freezer. It makes a great go-to meal for busy nights for my family, but it is also a great meal to take to a friend or family in need of a comforting home cooked meal.
To prepare pasta in advance, assemble pasta bake up to baking and place in a freezer safe baking dish. Cover well with 2 layers of foil and freeze for up to two months. To bake from frozen, bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes covered, then uncover and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through and cheese is melted.
You can also prep this pasta bake earlier in the week and store in your refrigerator for up to 3 days until ready to bake. Simply prepare pasta bake up to baking. Place in baking dish and cover. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. When ready to bake, remove from the fridge while the oven is preheating and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until warmed through.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
5 Ingredient Baked Rotini
Ingredients
- 16 ounces rotini noodles or ziti, rigatoni, etc
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta liquid
- 4 cups homemade or jarred spaghetti sauce
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 1 egg whisked
- 2 cups shredded cheese mozzarella, cheddar, Parmesan or a mixture
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook pasta 1-2 minutes less than package directions in salted boiling water. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
- Mix cooked pasta and reserved sauce together with sauce, cottage cheese, egg, and 1 cup of shredded cheese.
- Pour into a large 9x13 pan or casserole dish and top with remaining cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.
- Alternatively, you can prep this dish up to baking. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days before baking. Add 20 minutes to baking time if coming from fridge.
Notes
- Whole wheat, regular, or gluten free noodles can be used.
- Feel free to add in ground beef, sausage, or even pepperoni to this baked rotini for a heartier dish.
- In place of cottage cheese, ricotta cheese can be used.
- Omit the egg if you need this to be an egg free pasta bake (just be sure to check your noodles for eggs as well!)
- Pasta Bake can be assembled up to baking and frozen for up to 2 months. To bake from frozen, bake covered with foil at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through.
Kristen Chidsey
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Hi I premade and put in the freezer, do I need to thaw out in the fridge before I bake in the oven? Or can you bake directly from being frozen?
Hi Brooke. You can bake right from the freezer. From freezer, bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes covered, and then uncovered for 15 additional minutes. And YAY for a stocked freezer!
Could you add ground beef/chicken to this? If so how much would you recommend and would this change baking time?
Hi Rachel! Ground beef, chicken or sausage would be a great addition. I would use anywhere from half a pound to full pound. Just brown up the meat in a skillet and then mix in with remaining ingredients. Bake time will remain the same. Enjoy 🙂
can you just put the noodles in without cooking them? won’t they cook in the sauce?
Hi Melissa, It is POSSIBLE to cook this casserole without pre-cooking the noodles, but it will change the directions drastically. You would need to add water to the sauce, cover TIGHTLY with foil, bake longer and even then the noodles will not be as soft. So I just do not recommend that. Sorry.
I know I’m late to the game, but curious if you could use Greek yogurt in this dish instead of the cottage cheese? Just don’t feel like running to the store, and that is what I have! 😀
Hi Emily! You are never late to ask questions 🙂 And, as long as it is plain Greek yogurt it should work fine. I am all about using what you have on hand to save yourself time and money!
Do I bake this dish covered or uncovered?
I bake uncovered Cath, as I like the cheese to bubble up and the pasta to have crisper edges. However, you can bake covered with foil if you would like a more “moist” pasta and then just uncover last 10 minutes for cheese to fully melt. Enjoy!
Thanks for the quick reply. This is Ash Wednesday, so no meat here. This was so easy to assemble. Add a salad and garlic bread and voila there’s a rear meal even if it isn’t the beginning of Lent.😉
Real!!!
YAY!!!! That is exactly why I love this recipe so much–quick and easy! So glad you enjoyed!
Wow ! What a great tasty and easy recipe ! It takes pasta to the next level…if l could give it more than 5 stars l would ! I used grated marble cheese and the combination of ingredients was so creamy . It filled the small oval roast pan (no lid) that Ibaked it in . Served it with a side salad . It fed 4 hungry adults , 2 of which had seconds , and had enough leftovers for another sitting…so economical ! Rave reviews from everyone ! Thank you , thank you , thank you !! 😃
This makes me so happy!!! We actually had it for dinner tonight too Cindy. I have one in my freezer at all times and I had been at a doctor’s appointment all day. It was the perfect answer.
Can u use something other than cottage cheese
Absolutely April–ricotta cheese, cream cheese, or even crumbled tofu.
I’m going to make this tonight for this weekend at the campground. It’s a great make ahead dinner that I can easily heat in our dreadful camper oven! 🙂 I am however going to use ricotta since I have someone who won’t eat the cottage. Great idea to mix it in. I myself am avid cook.. never really thought of that.
Thank you
YAY!! I have used ricotta as well and it works great. And yes, this bumps up creaminess and protein all at once.
I really enjoy Italian food and this is super easy. Thanks for the recipe.
Love easy meals like this! Perfect for busy weeknights!
Exactly!!
I love that you put cottage cheese in this! Talk about an extra protein boost. So good, Kristen! I’ll be making this for Alex and I soon. <3
I hope you love it!
Love easy meals like this girl! I am sharing on my FB page today.
On a side note – I’ve been thinking about you! Praying for healing and comfort from Iowa!
Ah thank you so so much Ally–for the prayers and facebook share!
Kristen – forgetting to set the slow cooker is the story of ma life! So, spa quick meals like this are my jam! This baked rotini with cottage cheese is one I’m sure my daughter would LOVE – this is definitely going on my to-make list! Thanks so much, happy Monday and yay for storybook neighborhoods! 🙂
Yes, LOVE quick meals and my wonderful neighborhood!
I love it ! easy , fast and delicious! My second time making it 🙂 thanks for sharing