Baked Mostaccioli Meat Sauce (Print-Friendly Version)
Layers of pasta, rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and melty mozzarella baked for a comforting Italian dish.
# Ingredients You'll Need:
→ Sauce
01 -
2 tablespoons olive oil
02 -
1 medium onion, diced
03 -
4 garlic cloves, minced
04 -
1 pound (450 g) ground beef (80/20 blend)
05 -
1 pound (450 g) ground sweet Italian sausage
06 -
2 tablespoons tomato paste
07 -
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, divided
08 -
0.25 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
09 -
28 ounces (795 g) canned crushed tomatoes
10 -
0.25 cup (60 ml) water
11 -
0.25 cup (10 g) fresh parsley, chopped, plus additional for garnish
12 -
1 teaspoon salt, divided
13 -
0.5 teaspoon black pepper, divided
→ Pasta
14 -
16 ounces (450 g) mostaccioli pasta
→ Cheese Filling and Topping
15 -
15 ounces (425 g) whole milk ricotta cheese
16 -
1 large egg
17 -
0.5 cup (40 g) grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus 3 tablespoons (24 g) for topping
18 -
2 cups (200 g) freshly shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
# How to Make It:
01 -
Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease a 23 x 33 cm casserole dish and set aside.
02 -
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté until translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 -
Add ground beef and sweet Italian sausage to the skillet. Cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and fully cooked, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
04 -
Stir in tomato paste, half of the salt, half of the black pepper, 0.5 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 1–2 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, water, and chopped parsley. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 -
Meanwhile, boil mostaccioli pasta in salted water following package instructions for al dente texture. Drain and set aside.
06 -
In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, grated Pecorino Romano, remaining 0.5 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 0.5 teaspoon salt, and 0.25 teaspoon black pepper. Stir until smooth.
07 -
Toss cooked pasta with sauce mixture until evenly coated.
08 -
Spread half of the pasta and sauce in the prepared baking dish. Distribute ricotta mixture evenly over this layer, then top with remaining pasta and sauce.
09 -
Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and reserved Pecorino Romano evenly over the top.
10 -
Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
11 -
Let rest briefly, then garnish with extra chopped parsley before serving.
# Extra Information:
01 -
For optimal flavor, use freshly grated cheese and allow the bake to rest for several minutes before slicing for cleaner servings.