This Bolognese Pasta Bake is rich and delicious comfort food dish and it is a great way to use leftovers. Pasta mixed with leftover Bolognese and topped with cheese. Simple! An easy dish to make to feed a hungry crowd, it also freezes well too, making it perfect for batch cooking. It is a brilliant way to stretch leftovers into another dinner with very little effort.
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Bolognese pasta bake is a great recipe for using up leftover Bolognese sauce, especially if you have made a big batch in the slow cooker or on the hob. Instead of just serving the same meal again, you can turn it into something different with just pasta and cheese - my kids LOVE it.
Pasta bakes are always a good option for children, and this one has all the familiar flavours of spaghetti Bolognese, but in a cheesy baked version. You can keep it simple or bulk it out with extra vegetables, depending on what you have in the fridge.
It is budget friendly too, as a small amount of leftover Bolognese can go further once it is mixed with pasta and baked in a dish. Perfect for reducing food waste.
Are you are looking for some other pasta bake recipes to try? Why not try our festive Turkey Pasta Bake, easy Vegetable Pasta Bake, comforting Sausage Pasta Bake, creamy Spinach and Ricotta Pasta Bake or our delicious Cheesy Broccoli Pasta Bake?
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Bolognese - This recipe is designed to use already cooked Bolognese sauce. It can be Clow Cooker Bolognese, Turkey Bolognese, Chicken Mince Bolognese, Lentil Bolognese or a vegetarian Mushroom bolognese version. If the sauce is very thick, loosen it with a splash of water, stock or passata before mixing with the pasta.
- Pasta - We used wholewheat fusilli, as that is what we had in the cupboard to use up. But you could use penne, macaroni or conchiglie. I prefer fusilli, because it is bigger and the twists allow the Bolognese to cling to it - but that is just a preference thing. Wholewheat pasta adds extra fibre and holds up well in a pasta bake.
- Cheese - I think a mix of cheese is good here. I really love the strong flavour of a mature cheddar, as it means that you can use less of it but still have an intense flavour. But, I also like how melty mozzarella goes, so we have used a mixture of the two and then some parmesan as well.
- Basil - A little bit of fresh basil adds lots of flavour when serving.
Bolognese Pasta Bake Variations
Extra Vegetables - Stir through cooked mushrooms, spinach, grated courgette (zucchini), roasted peppers, peas, sweetcorn or finely chopped broccoli. Bolognese pasta bake is a great way to use up small amounts of vegetables from the fridge.
Hidden Vegetable - Use our Hidden Vegetable Bolognese recipe.
Fibre - Add some extra fibre, and also bulk out the bolognese pasta bake so you need less meat, by adding a can of beans like butter beans.
Higher protein - Use a high-protein pasta and a meat-based Bolognese made with lean beef, turkey or chicken mince. You could also stir through some cottage cheese before baking for extra protein and creaminess.
Creamy - Stir a spoonful of cream cheese, ricotta or Greek yogurt into the sauce before adding the cheese topping. If using Greek yogurt, stir it in once the sauce has cooled slightly so it does not split.
How to Make Bolognese Pasta Bake
Prep: Preheat your oven to 190°C/170°C(fan)/375°F/Gas 5.
- Step 1: Put the pasta in a pan of boiling water and simmer for 12 minutes.
- Step 2: Drain the cooked pasta and put it into a baking dish and add the bolognese.
- Step 3: Mix the bolognese into the pasta.
- Step 4: Top with the cheese.
- Step 5: Put into the oven for 20 minutes, until heated through.
Serving Suggestions
It is a pretty epic and filling dish as it is, but if you are making this to feed and crowd then we suggest serving it with garlic bread.
Either buy some ready made, or make your own easy garlic bread by cutting up some French stick and spreading it with a mix of butter, crushed garlic and dried herbs. Then pop it in the oven for 10 minutes.
Why not try our Cheesy Garlic Bread recipe or our Air Fryer Garlic Bread?
For some green veggies, serve with our Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli.
Bolognese Pasta Bake Storage
Because this recipe is made with leftover Bolognese, so correct storage and reheating is needed.
This pasta bake is best made with Bolognese that has been cooked, cooled quickly and stored properly in the fridge. Once you bake it with the pasta, the Bolognese is being reheated, so it is best to only bake the amount you plan to eat.
Avoid reheating the same Bolognese more than once. If the Bolognese has already been reheated before being used in this pasta bake, do not reheat it again.
Make ahead - If you know you will not eat the whole pasta bake, a good option is to assemble smaller portions in individual ovenproof dishes and only bake what you need. You can also mix cold leftover Bolognese with cooked cooled pasta, portion it into freezer-safe dishes and freeze it before baking.
To freeze before baking - Assemble the pasta bake in a freezer-safe dish, cover well and freeze. Defrost fully in the fridge before baking, then cook until piping hot throughout. You may need to add an extra 5-10 minutes if baking from chilled.
Dannii's Top Tips
- Make this a little bit more indulgent by mixing some breadcrumbs with the cheese before crumbling it on top.
- If you want the top of this pasta bake to go really crispy, then you can put it under the grill (broiler) for a couple of minutes.
- Reserve a little of the pasta water to add to the sauce to make it nice and silky.
- Do not overcook the pasta before baking. Slightly undercooked pasta works best, as it will continue cooking in the sauce.
- Make sure the Bolognese is saucy enough. Pasta absorbs liquid as it bakes, so a dry sauce will result in a dry pasta bake. Add a splash of water, stock or passata if needed.
- Grate the cheddar yourself if you can. Pre-grated cheese often has anti-caking ingredients, which can stop it melting as smoothly.
- Let the pasta bake sit for 5 minutes before serving. This helps it hold together a little better and makes it easier to portion.
More Pasta Recipes
If you've tried this bolognese pasta bake recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Bolognese Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 400 g (1.1 lb) of Wholewheat fusilli pasta
- 2 portion of Leftover bolognese
- 80 g (0.5 cups) of Mature cheddar - grated
- 50 g (0.5 cups) of Mozzarella - torn
- 20 g of Parmesan - grated
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 190°C/170°C(fan)/375°F/Gas 5.
- Put 400 g of Wholewheat fusilli pasta into a pan of boiling water and simmer for 12 minutes.
- Put the cooked pasta into a baking dish and add 2 portion of Leftover bolognese.
- Mix the bolognese into the pasta.
- Top with 80 g of Mature cheddar, 50 g of Mozzarella and 20 g of Parmesan.
- Put into the oven for 20 minutes, until heated through.
Recipe Tips
- Make this a little bit more indulgent by mixing some breadcrumbs with the cheese before crumbling it on top.
- If you want the top of this pasta bake to go really crispy, then you can put it under the grill (broiler) for a couple of minutes.
- Reserve a little of the pasta water to add to the sauce to make it nice and silky.
- Do not overcook the pasta before baking. Slightly undercooked pasta works best, as it will continue cooking in the sauce.
- Make sure the Bolognese is saucy enough. Pasta absorbs liquid as it bakes, so a dry sauce will result in a dry pasta bake. Add a splash of water, stock or passata if needed.
- Grate the cheddar yourself if you can. Pre-grated cheese often has anti-caking ingredients, which can stop it melting as smoothly.
- Let the pasta bake sit for 5 minutes before serving. This helps it hold together a little better and makes it easier to portion.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Julia says
What a great idea, turning this popular meal into a bake!
ALison says
Bolognese and a pasta bake. It's the best of both worlds.