Honeycomb Pasta Bake (Printable)

Upright rigatoni filled with creamy cheese, baked golden in a rich marinara sauce with melted mozzarella topping.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 lb rigatoni

→ Cheese Filling

02 - 12 oz ricotta cheese
03 - 3.5 oz grated mozzarella
04 - 1.75 oz grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
07 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
08 - 1/2 tsp salt
09 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Sauce & Topping

10 - 24 oz marinara sauce
11 - 5 oz shredded mozzarella
12 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 1 tbsp olive oil

# Directions:

01 - Heat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9-inch springform or deep round baking pan with olive oil and line the bottom with parchment paper.
02 - Boil rigatoni in salted water for 2 minutes less than package directions until very al dente. Drain and toss with a small amount of olive oil to prevent sticking.
03 - In a medium bowl, blend ricotta, grated mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper until smooth.
04 - Place cooked rigatoni tubes standing upright in the prepared pan, packing tightly to fill the entire space.
05 - Fill a piping bag or zip-top bag with the cheese mixture, cut the tip, and pipe the mixture into each rigatoni tube until filled.
06 - Pour marinara sauce evenly over the filled pasta, then gently tap the pan to settle the sauce between the tubes.
07 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan evenly on top.
08 - Cover loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
09 - Remove foil and continue baking for 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
10 - Allow to rest for 10 minutes before removing the springform pan and slicing. Serve warm.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The reveal moment when you slice into this bake is better than any birthday cake surprise
  • Cheesy, saucy comfort food that somehow looks like you spent hours on presentation
  • Perfect for feeding a crowd while looking like you took cooking classes in Italy
02 -
  • Don't overcook the pasta initially since those tubes will finish cooking in the oven and nobody wants mushy rigatoni walls
  • Pack the tubes tightly together in the pan or they'll topple over while you're trying to fill them
  • Letting it rest before cutting is absolutely crucial or you'll end up with a messy landslide instead of clean slices
03 -
  • Stand the rigatoni up in the empty pan first so you know exactly how many pieces you need before cooking the whole box
  • Work quickly when piping the filling since the cheese mixture firms up as it sits
  • Run a thin knife around the edge before releasing the springform to ensure nothing sticks
Return