Bolognese Pasta Bake

5 from 1 vote

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. A great make ahead dinner for the whole family.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Bake Time20

Total Time1 30

Course: Dinner, Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 613kcal

Author: Carrie Carvalho

Equipment

Dutch oven or large pot
Sharp Knife
Chopping Board
Spatula or wooden spoon
Large baking dish

Ingredients

Bolognese Sauce

3 medium carrots
3 ribs celery
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
500 grams lean beef mince (ground beef)
1 beef stock cube
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tbsp tomato paste/puree
2 400g tins chopped tomatoes
¾ tsp salt

For the Pasta Bake

500 grams pasta
150 grams peas optional
250 grams ricotta cheese
125 grams mozzarella cheese
75 grams cheddar cheese
Bolognese Sauce* about 4 cups if using own recipe

Metric - US Measures

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

*if you have a preferred bolognese or ragu recipe use that. Or use leftover bolognese. For the recipe as written you will need about 4 cups of bolognese sauce and can start from step 7.

Nutrition