Make this hearty baked mostaccioli dish the next time you’re craving pasta. It’s a delicious combination of tender pasta, seasoned ground beef, marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, heavy cream, and two kinds of cheese.
Serve this comforting baked mostaccioli with garlic bread and a fresh garden salad for a satisfying meal!
What is Mostaccioli?
Mostaccioli is a type of tubular pasta that has a similar shape to penne. The main difference between the two is that mostaccioli is smooth, while penne has small ridges. In Italy, mostaccioli is also known as ‘smooth penne’ or ‘penne lisce’. In addition to casseroles, mostaccioli is often used in soups and salads.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pasta: If you don’t have mostaccioli on hand, regular penne or any other medium-sized tubular pasta is fine.
- Marinara sauce: Marinara sauce is seasoned with garlic, basil, and crushed red pepper, adding a delicious depth of flavor to this dish. If you don’t have marinara sauce, regular tomato sauce can be used instead. You may want to add a bit more fresh garlic and Italian seasoning to give the tomato sauce more flavor.
- Meat: This recipe uses ground beef but Italian sausage would be delicious too! Ground turkey or chicken are also great options.
- Cheese: Shredded mozzarella and parmesan make this dish extra cheesy.
(Note: Full recipe is at the bottom of the post)
How to Make Baked Mostaccioli
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 pan.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Take care to not overcook it.
- Brown the ground beef, garlic, and onion in a large saucepan until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
- Stir in the marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, sugar, Italian seasoning, and water. Simmer for 5 minutes. Next, stir in the heavy cream and simmer for an additional 5 minutes or until thickened.
- Spread 1 cup of the prepared sauce in the bottom of the greased pan. Add half of the cooked pasta and top with half of the remaining sauce.
- Add the remaining pasta and the rest of the sauce, and then top with all of the shredded cheese.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t overcook the pasta as it will continue to cook in the oven. You want the pasta to be al dente, but not mushy.
- For a top that’s slightly crisp, bubbly, and brown, place the casserole under the broiler for a few minutes. Watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn.
Can I Make Mostaccioli Ahead of Time?
Yes, this casserole can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge. When ready to bake, increase the cooking time to 45 minutes. You can also place the casserole in a freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw it in the fridge overnight and bake as per the recipe.
Variations
- Italian sausage, ground turkey, or ground chicken can be used in place of ground beef.
- For a meatless version, replace the ground beef with a combination of veggies like zucchini, mushrooms, eggplant, spinach, green beans, or squash.
- Make it even more cheesy by adding ricotta cheese.
What Is The Difference Between Baked Ziti And Mostaccioli?
The dishes are very similar. The main difference is the type of pasta used.
Is Penne And Mostaccioli The Same?
Both penne and mostaccioli are dried, tubular-shaped kinds of pasta. The main difference is mostaccioli is smooth while penne has ridges.
Baked Mostaccioli Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 ounces mostaccioli pasta
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 3 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1 large onion diced
- 28 ounces marinara sauce
- 14 ounces tomatoes diced
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 pan.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Take care to not overcook it.
- Brown the ground beef, garlic, and onion in a large saucepan until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
- Stir in the marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, sugar, Italian seasoning, and water. Simmer for 5 minutes. Next, stir in the heavy cream and simmer for an additional 5 minutes or until thickened.
- Spread 1 cup of the prepared sauce in the bottom of the greased pan. Add half of the cooked pasta and top with half of the remaining sauce.
- Add the remaining pasta and the rest of the sauce, and then top with all of the shredded cheese.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.
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