Honeycomb Pasta Cheese Bake (Printable)

Rigatoni tubes filled with creamy cheese, baked under marinara for a golden, comforting dish.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9-inch springform or deep round 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 olive oil to prevent sticking.
03 - Combine ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Stir until smooth.
04 - Stand cooked rigatoni upright in the prepared pan, packed tightly to fill the space completely.
05 - Transfer cheese mixture to a piping bag or a zip-top bag with a corner cut off. Pipe filling into each rigatoni tube until full.
06 - Pour marinara sauce evenly over the filled rigatoni. Gently tap the pan to allow sauce to settle between tubes.
07 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan evenly over the sauce.
08 - Cover pan loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
09 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
10 - Allow to rest 10 minutes before releasing springform pan and slicing. Serve warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Its the ultimate showstopper that looks like you spent hours in the kitchen, even though the active work is surprisingly straightforward
  • The combination of three cheeses creates that irresistible gooey, stringy cheese pull that makes everyone reach for their phones to take a picture
02 -
  • Overcooking the pasta during boiling is the most common mistake. Undercook it now because it will finish in the oven, and mushy pasta will make the whole structure collapse.
  • Packing the tubes too loosely means they tip over while baking. Squeeze them in tight and do not be afraid to rearrange as you go.
03 -
  • Use a chopstick or skewer to gently push the cheese filling all the way to the bottom of each tube if you notice air pockets
  • Place your springform pan on a baking sheet in the oven to catch any sauce that might bubble over
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