Baked Pasta with Ricotta and Tomatoes

3.74 from 19 votes

Baked Pasta with Ricotta and Tomatoes

A lovely cream sauce with ricotta and mozzarella coats tender noodles in this baked pasta dish that gets a pop of fresh flavor from the diced tomatoes.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Main Course, Pasta

Cuisine: American

Keyword: baked pasta, casserole, cheese, pasta

Servings: servings

Calories: 506kcal

Equipment

9 x 13 Pyrex dish or casserole
Individual-size ramekins are also a good choice

Ingredients

12 ounces dried pasta
4 tbsp butter
1 cup onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
3 tbsp all purpose flour
2 cups milk warmed
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne powder
1/4 tsp white or black pepper
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
2 cups tomatoes seeded and diced
2 tbsp parsley chopped
1/4 cup parmesan cheese shredded

Instructions

Cook the pasta in salted, boiling water until very al dente. Drain and chill under cold running water.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a sauce pan and sautee the diced onion util they're translucent. About 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute.
Turn the heat to medium-low and add the flour. Use a whisk to blend it into the onion-butter mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the warmed milk to the flour mixture in a slow stream, whisking as you go. Once the milk is all whisked in, turn the heat to medium and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and boils. Be patient! Milk will scald so go slowly.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheeses, salt, pepper, cayenne, and parsley. Mix well.
Mix the hot sauce with the pasta, then gently fold in the tomatoes. Add the mixture to a casserole dish, top with Parmesan cheese, and bake for about 20 minutes at 375-F. Enjoy!

Notes

Chef Jenn’s Tips

Don’t overcook the pasta! It’s extremely important to drain and cool the pasta while it is still quite al dente. Look at the package cooking instructions, then chop a minute or two off the suggested cooking time. Test it and drain it early if it is still quite firm.
Fresh tomatoes are best, but well-drained diced canned tomatoes will also work in a pinch.
Add some fresh basil to add even more flavor to this tomato ricotta pasta dish.
Ricotta is the star of this dish – look for creamy whole milk ricotta for the best results.
Mozzarella adds more cheesy goodness to this dish, but you could use any mild melting cheese like Havarti, gouda, Monterey jack, or even mild white cheddar.
Bake these in cute individual-size ramekins for even more appeal.

Nutrition