Four Cheese Baked Pasta (Printable Version)

Rich baked pasta featuring ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, and Romano cheeses in a creamy tomato sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 pound penne or rigatoni

→ Cheeses

02 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
03 - 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
04 - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - ¾ cup grated Romano cheese

→ Sauce

06 - 3 cups marinara sauce
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
10 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
11 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
12 - ½ teaspoon salt
13 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

14 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with oil or butter.
02 - Boil pasta in salted water until slightly under al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in marinara sauce, dried basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
04 - In a large bowl, toss cooked pasta with ricotta, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, ½ cup grated Parmesan, ½ cup grated Romano, and 2 cups of the prepared sauce until evenly coated.
05 - Transfer pasta mixture to the greased baking dish. Spread remaining sauce evenly on top, then sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella, Parmesan, and Romano cheeses.
06 - Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese topping is golden and bubbling.
07 - Allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh chopped basil if desired.

# Expert Insights:

01 -
  • Four cheeses mean four times the comfort—ricotta's creaminess, mozzarella's stretch, Parmesan's sharpness, and Romano's bite all work together.
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you've been fussing over it all day.
  • Works perfectly for feeding a crowd or having leftovers that somehow taste even better the next morning.
02 -
  • Undercook the pasta slightly or it'll turn mushy by the time the cheese is golden—this single habit changed everything about how my casseroles turned out.
  • Use low-moisture mozzarella specifically; regular mozzarella releases water and makes the dish soupy instead of creamy.
  • The foil matters: loose coverage keeps the top from browning too fast while the inside warms, then removing it lets the cheese finish properly.
03 -
  • Toast the inside of your baking dish lightly with oil before assembling; it prevents sticking and makes cleanup effortless.
  • If your top is browning too fast before the inside is bubbly, tent it loosely with foil again for the last few minutes—every oven is different.
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