Easy Bolognese Pasta Bake (Perfect for Leftovers Too)
Bored of the same old spaghetti bolognese? Try this easy, cheesy Bolognese Pasta Bake instead. Think of it like a no fuss lasagne – rich beef bolognese tossed with pasta and plenty of cheese before being baked to bubbling perfection.
This pasta bake with beef mince is a great way to add a bit of variety to your meal plan. I know beef mince is a staple ingredient for many households but it can get really boring, especially if your default mince recipe is spaghetti bolognese. As much as I love the classic spag bol, I don’t want it every week.
In the recipe card I’ve included options for making the bolognese sauce from scratch as well as if you want to use leftover bolognese.
If you want some more ideas for recipes using beef mince then try my One Pot Beef Orzo, Scottish Mince & Tatties or Brazilian Picadillo.
| Keep reading for everything you need, plus a few swaps if you don’t have everything in or have fussy eaters at home. |
Quick Recipe Summary
🩷 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Full ingredients list with quantities is included in the recipe card below. These are some helpful notes about the main ingredients including some swaps and substitutes where applicable.
- Mince – I use ground beef mince but you can also use ground lamb, turkey or pork mince or a mixture.
- Pasta – Shells are my favourite as they hold lots of the sauce, but most short shapes work well.
- Tinned/Canned Tomatoes – You could substitute passata or canned tomato sauce.
- Soffritto – diced carrots, onion and celery make an aromatic flavour base for the bolognese sauce. I use this handy mini chopper to get my soffritto very fine, but you can also chop by hand or use a frozen mix.
- Beef Stock Cube and Tomato Paste/Puree – for additional flavour. Or use prepared beef stock – about 1 cup (and skip filling the tomato cans with water and adding that.)
- Garlic, basil and oregano – I use fresh garlic (usually frozen) and dried herbs, but you can use fresh herbs and/or dried garlic or garlic puree if you prefer. In general you can substitute 1 tsp dried to 1 tbsp fresh.
- Peas – optional. I love adding peas for an additional serving of vegetables, but you can omit. I use frozen peas – they are a freezer staple for me.
- Cheese – Ricotta stirred through the bolognese sauce for some extra creaminess and mozzarella and cheddar to top off the pasta bake.
Carrie’s Note
Who doesn’t love a good bolognese? Mince is a staple ingredient in our weekly shops, but my family loves to mix it up so we’re not eating the same things all the time. Sometimes I make a double batch of bolognese and freeze some to serve with spaghetti, then use the rest to make this tasty pasta bake. Leftovers are easily thrown in the oven, so perfect for busy nights.
Everything We Ate
If you want to see some realistic dinner inspiration then I share a full recap of our family meals (what worked, what didn’t, and how I stretched the leftovers) every week for free over on Substack.
Swaps and Subs
–Switch up the bolognese: I use my regular beef bolognese sauce recipe for this pasta bake, but if you have a preferred bolognese or ragu recipe do feel free to use that. For the recipe as written you will need about 4 cups of bolognese sauce and can start from step 7. Alternatively you could try:
- a turkey mince bolognese.
- leftover bolognese from your favourite recipe (try making a double batch next time)
- Use a vegetarian bolognese sauce for a vegetarian pasta bake. Try my Lentil and Mushroom Bolognese or Slow Cooked Aubergine Ragu.
- Try a different ragu sauce. I have a few different recipes which would be great for this pasta bake. Why not try my Beef and Mushroom Ragu, Sausage Ragu or Beef Shin Ragu. Or use your households’ favourite recipe if you have one.
–Swap out the peas – try sweetcorn, sliced mushrooms or diced bell pepper instead.
–Add extra vegetables – either add additional chopped vegetables like zucchini, bell peppers or mushrooms to the sauce or stir into the pasta bake with the ricotta.
–Instead of Ricotta cheese you can try mascarpone for a more decadent dish. You can switch up the cheese topping too – try cheddar, gruyere or a mixture.
–Add some spice – if you enjoy food with a bit of a kick, you can add some diced chilli or red pepper flakes when you cook off the onion, carrot and celery.
Serving Suggestions
Some excellent side dishes to serve with a Bolognese Pasta Bake include:
- garlic bread (even better if it’s cheesy)
- a side salad
- green beans or broccoli
- roasted mediterranean vegetables
- dough balls
- corn on the cob
- extra peas
Leftovers
| Fridge: | Up to 3 days in an airtight container. |
| Freezer: | Up to 3 months. |
| Reheat: | Microwave, oven at 180°C covered with foil (15–20 mins), or air fryer at 180°C (10–15 mins) until piping hot. |
| Make the Sauce in advance: | Store in the fridge for up to 3 days (or the freezer for 3 months). Defrost fully before combining with the ricotta, peas and pasta to bake. |
Tips for Preparing in Advance and Reheating
Bolognese Pasta bake can be assembled in advance and baked later to serve. You can also freeze the assembled bake – defrost then bake as per recipe instructions. (It may need an additional 5-10 minutes if it is very cold when going into the oven.) Or why not make 2 smaller pasta bakes – one to cook and one to freeze for another day.
Freeze individual portions for up to 3 months. I use these foil trays to portion out leftover pasta bake to freeze for later. I love that I can put them straight in the oven without having to transfer to another dish, and they are the perfect size for one portion.
The best way to reheat pasta bake is in the oven. Place in an ovenproof bowl or dish and add a splash of water (about a tablespoon per portion) and cover with foil. Reheat in a hot oven (about 180c) for 15-20 minutes or until piping hot. The water creates steam which helps stop the pasta and sauce from drying out in the oven. I like to take the foil off for the final 5 minutes of cooking (and add extra grated cheese).
More Pasta Bake Recipes:
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Bolognese Pasta Bake
Equipment
- Spatula or wooden spoon
- Large baking dish
Ingredients
Bolognese Sauce
- 3 medium carrots
- 3 ribs celery
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 500 grams (1.1 lb) lean beef mince (ground beef)
- 1 beef stock cube
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tbsp tomato paste/puree
- 2 400g (1x 28oz) tins chopped tomatoes
- ¾ tsp salt
For the Pasta Bake
- 500 grams (1.1 lb) pasta
- 150 grams (1 cup) peas optional
- 250 grams (1 cup) ricotta cheese
- 125 grams (1 cup) mozzarella cheese
- 75 grams (¾ cup) cheddar cheese
- Bolognese Sauce* about 4 cups if using own recipe
Instructions
- First, prepare the bolognese. This can be done in advance. Or you can use leftover bolognese and skip to step 7.
- Finely dice the carrot, celery, onion and garlic.
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the oil. When hot, add the diced carrot, onion, garlic, celery and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes until starting to soften, but stir often and don't let it burn.
- Add in the mince. Cook until it has browned all over, using a spoon or spatula to break it up as you go.
- Add the tomato puree and herbs and crumble in the stock cube. Stir in the chopped tomatoes then fill each tin ⅔ with water, swirl to make sure you collect all the leftover tomato, and pour into the pot. (should be about 1 cup of water)
- Stir well and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat down to medium and allow to simmer without the lid for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more water if you feel the sauce is too thick.
- While the bolognese is cooking, preheat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C) / 400°F
- Cook the pasta in salted water about 2 minutes less than packaging instructions – it should still have a good 'bite'. Drain, reserving a 1/2 cup of cooking water.
- Add the peas and pasta to the bolognese sauce and stir well. Stir through the ricotta cheese until it has melted and blended into the bolognese sauce. Add a splash of cooking water if needed.
- Pour into a large baking dish. Top with torn mozzarella plus grated cheddar.
- Bake for 20 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Notes
