Cheesy baked pasta is a beloved family dinner made with three cheeses, fresh basil, and salty prosciutto. With both boys home and a picky daughter at the table, I made this Cheesy Baked Pasta to please everyone—and it did.
Homemade pasta recipes like this are comforting and crowd-pleasing. Creamy, cheesy pasta with pockets of prosciutto and bright basil is hard to resist, at least in our house.
Cheesy Baked Pasta
It was winter break and Sunday—a rare night when our family of five eats together. I was inspired by a recipe I saw in the paper but added my own touches. That’s how this Cheesy Baked Prosciutto Pasta came to be.
Rather than soak the dried penne and bake it with lots of liquid, I used a more traditional approach: boil the pasta until al dente, drain, then toss it with the remaining ingredients before transferring everything to a casserole for baking. The result is gooey, cheesy pasta with notes of basil and crushed red pepper flakes, aromatic garlic, and the savory bite of prosciutto—basically an elevated mac and cheese.
Homemade Pasta Bake
My son Nick—whose favorite phrase is “I’m always hungry”—loaded his plate high, which is always a good sign a recipe will become a family staple. I did pull back slightly on the garlic to suit my husband Bill’s more sensitive palate, but otherwise this is rich and satisfying. With a cup of cream and generous amounts of cheese, this easy pasta recipe is the kind of comfort food you want when temperatures drop or you simply need a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs dinner.
Helpful Tools:
- Casserole dish (9 x 13-inch)
- Large colander for draining pasta
More Family Favorite Pasta Recipes:
The best pasta recipes earn repeated appearances on our dinner table. This Cheesy Baked Pasta definitely made the list.
- Chicken Piccata Pasta
- Spinach Stuffed Pasta Shells
- Brown Butter Pasta with Bacon
- Baked Rigatoni with Mozzarella
- More Easy Pasta Recipes
Cheesy Baked Pasta
20 minutes
25 minutes
45 minutes
6 servings
An easy baked pasta full of cheese, prosciutto, and bright flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne, cooked al dente in well salted water, and drained
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 14.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 scant teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, more or less to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded Fontina cheese
- 1 cup shredded Mozzarella
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
- 3 ounces prosciutto, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Grease a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- In a large bowl, toss together the cooked penne and all remaining ingredients. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and gently press the pasta down to level it.
- Cover with foil.
- Bake for about 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes until bubbly. Serve hot.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 437Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 89mgSodium: 872mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 20g
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