Cheesy pasta
Try our baked, cheesy pasta, combining tender penne with a creamy sauce. Thick cooking cream and bright tomato purée cloak the pasta, while fresh basil adds a burst of flavour. Each forkful is loaded with gooey cheese, making it perfect for a cosy family meal or a savoury side to your favourite main course. Baked to perfection in foil, this dish locks in moisture and flavour, ensuring every bite is delightfully satisfying.
Ingredients
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Penne pasta
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400 g |
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Sauce
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Garlic, minced
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1 tsp |
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Chilli flakes (optional)
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½ tsp |
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Salt, to taste
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Black pepper, to taste
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Tomato purée (about 225 g)
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1 cup |
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Fresh basil (about 5 g)
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¼ cup |
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Arla® LactoFREE Whipping and cooking cream (about 250 ml)
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1 |
To bake
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Heavy-duty aluminium foil
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1 |
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Mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 250 g)
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2 cups |
Instructions
Sauce
To bake
FAQ: Questions about cheesy pasta
If you want to know more about this recipe, you are in the right place. We have answered the most common questions to help you make a perfectly cheesy dish with ease.
Can I prepare cheesy pasta ahead of time?
How do I make the sauce thicker or thinner?
Can I freeze cheesy pasta?
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Tips: Get the best cheesy pasta
Use our tips below to achieve the perfect taste and texture in your cheesy pasta dish.
Finish sauce and pasta at the same time
Ensure your pasta and sauce finish cooking simultaneously for a seamless combination. If your pasta is done first, drain it and mix with a little butter to prevent sticking. This way, the pasta remains smooth and ready to absorb the sauce fully.
Mix sauce and pasta well
Combine the cooked pasta with the sauce thoroughly before adding it to the baking dish. This ensures each piece of pasta is evenly coated with the flavourful sauce, delivering a consistent taste in every bite. A well-mixed pasta and sauce combination also helps the dish bake evenly.
Storing and reheating leftovers
For cheesy pasta that tastes fresh, store leftovers in a container with a tight seal to keep the flavours and moisture intact. Chill in the fridge and enjoy within 3 days. When reheating, warm the pasta slowly on the stove or in the microwave. Add a little milk or chicken broth to restore the sauce's velvety texture.
Discover our easy cheesy pasta recipe
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with our oven-baked cheesy pasta. With simple, flavourful ingredients, this dish has everything pasta enthusiasts love. From al dente pasta and tomato cream sauce to melted mozzarella cheese and fresh basil, you get authentic Italian flavours with a modern twist. The preparation method provides a hassle-free cooking experience, making it the perfect, easy-to-prepare meal for any occasion.
Coated in smooth tomato and cream sauce
The key to the sauce is the luxurious cooking cream, which creates a smooth and creamy base. It pairs wonderfully with the robust tomato purée that adds a tangy contrast to the sauce. The tomato and cream sauce gets a different layer of flavour from basil. The fresh basil offers a burst of freshness and adds a splash of colour to the dish. The result is a luscious sauce that clings to every piece of pasta.
With gooey, melted cheese on top
Mozzarella cheese is the alpha and omega for this pasta recipe. It is celebrated for its excellent melt and stretch, wrapping the pasta in a layer of cheesy delight. Baked to golden perfection, the cheese forms a bubbly, slightly crispy topping that adds a satisfying contrast to the creamy sauce beneath.
What is special about this recipe is the oven-baking. Baking the pasta in foil creates a steaming effect that ensures moisture stays inside the packet. This makes the pasta deliciously tender and intensifies the flavours. Inside the foil packet, the cheese melts evenly, and the sauce remains rich and velvety while the pasta absorbs all the delicious flavours of the sauce. Each forkful offers a mouth-watering combination of al dente pasta and stretchy, melted cheese that will leave you wanting more.
Quick and simple comfort food
This oven-baked cheesy pasta is the perfect go-to comfort food and takes almost no time to make. It is ideal for those busy nights when you crave a home-cooked meal without the fuss. Serve it hot from the oven and enjoy the satisfying stretch of melted cheese and tomato cream sauce that clings to every penne. Serve it for family dinners or a relaxing evening at home either on its own or paired with a few side dishes, for example, a fresh green salad, crusty bread, or irresistible, homemade garlic bread. This pasta bake's inviting aroma and mouth-watering taste will surely make it a go-to recipe!
Cannot get enough of pasta? Try variations of a classic with our carbonara pasta bake and kale carbonara with walnuts, or experience the joy of lasagne with our salmon lasagne, spinach and courgette lasagne, or lasagne with carrot and cottage cheese.
Make it your own
Transform your cheesy pasta bake into a personalised delight by experimenting with various pasta types such as rotini, fusilli, shells, or macaroni. Elevate the cheese flavour with a three-cheese blend by mixing 1 cup of shredded cheddar and ½ cup of grated Parmesan with the mozzarella. This creates a more complex flavour and enhances the cheesiness, so every cheese-lover will get what they are yearning for.
For a colourful and fresh variation, stir in 1 cup of fresh spinach leaves and ½ cup of halved cherry tomatoes before baking. The spinach adds a tender, leafy texture, while the tomatoes burst with juicy sweetness. If you prefer a smoky, earthy combination, include ½ cup of crispy, crumbled bacon and 1 cup of sliced mushrooms in the sauce. The bacon provides a crunchy, savoury bite, complemented by the mushrooms' meaty texture and deep, umami flavour.
For those who enjoy a zesty and spicy kick, incorporate 1 teaspoon of smoked or hot paprika and ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper into the sauce. This addition gives the dish a bold, fiery edge and a slightly smoky aroma. You can also try adding different types of meat, for instance, 1 cup of cooked, shredded chicken and ½ cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes for a briny, tangy flavour. Or combine 1 cup of steamed broccoli florets and ½ cup of diced ham for a delightful contrast. The broccoli adds a tender, crisp texture, while the ham introduces a salty, succulent note.
