This No-Boil Pasta Bake skips the boiling step; dry pasta, sauce, sausage, and veggies all cook together in one pan. Five minutes of prep, then straight into the oven for a gooey, cheesy dinner that's ready in under an hour.
The pasta cooks right in the sauce, which means less time at the stove and fewer dishes to wash. Customize it with whatever sauce, protein, and vegetables you have on hand. Make it ahead and refrigerate until you're ready to bake, or double the batch and freeze half for later. If you love easy comfort food dinners, try Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta or Sausage and Vegetable Sheet Pan Dinner.
Jump to:
Ingredient Notes + Substitutions
- Pasta. Penne, ziti, rigatoni, or fusilli will all work great. I have not tested this with spaghetti noodles or other long pasta.
- Pasta sauce. Use your family's favorite jarred marinara sauce, or try making your own Italian pasta sauce.
- Veggies. Broccoli florets, bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, zucchini, anything works.
- Chicken sausage. Pre-cooked Italian sausage is easiest. Rotisserie chicken, cooked ground meat, or meatballs also work. If using raw sausage or ground meat, cook it first.
See the recipe card below for quantities and remaining ingredients.
How to Make No-Boil Pasta Bake
Step 1: Spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
Step 2: Top the sauce with dry pasta, chicken sausage, vegetables, parmesan cheese, water and remaining marinara sauce.
Step 3: Mix all ingredients in the pan until well combined.
Step 4: Top with mozzarella cheese, cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and finish by broiling so the top of the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.
Sarah's Top Tips
- Spray the baking dish with non-stick cooking spray before adding the ingredients for easier cleanup.
- Mix everything well before baking so the pasta is fully coated with sauce and liquid.
- Let the baked pasta rest for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the sauce to thicken and the cheese to set.
- Use what you have at home. This recipe is designed to work with pantry staples and whatever vegetables need to be used up.
Storage and Reheating
- Store leftovers in the fridge for about 3-4 days in an airtight container. It should last a few months if stored in a freezer-safe container.
- To defrost: Defrost in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a few hours or place the container in cold water to speed up the process.
- To reheat: Once defrosted, heat in the microwave for about 2-3 minutes in a microwave-safe container or the oven at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes.
- Make ahead: Assemble all the ingredients in the baking dish and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bake straight from the fridge, adding 5-10 minutes to the covered baking time.
Serving
While this no-boil pasta bake is a full meal on its own, you can serve it with a simple side salad, air fryer carrots, or garlic bread.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below-I'd love to hear how it turned out! THANK YOU!
Cheesy Baked Pasta (No-Boil, One-Pan, Ready in 45 Minutes)
Video
Save this Recipe!
Get the recipe link sent to your inbox!
See the full post for extra tips and photos
Ingredients
- 1 (16 ounce) package of penne, ziti or fusilli pasta
- 2 (16 ounce) jars of marinara or pasta sauce*
- 3 cups broccoli or veggies of choice, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 package chicken sausage, cut into bite-sized rounds
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup water
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven 400 degrees F.
- Assemble the pasta bake. In a 9x13 inch baking dish, add about ¼ cup sauce to the bottom of the pan. Top the sauce with pasta, chicken sausage, vegetables, parmesan cheese, water and jars of marinara sauce. Then add salt, black pepper, garlic cloves, and Italian seasoning.1 (16 ounce) package of penne, ziti or fusilli pasta, 2 (16 ounce) jars of marinara or pasta sauce*, 3 cups broccoli or veggies of choice, 1 package chicken sausage, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 cup water, salt and pepper, 2 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Using a large spoon, mix all ingredients together in the pan until well combined.
- Top with mozzarella cheese, cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil from the baking dish and bake for another 10-15 minutes, uncovered. Then, broil for about 90 seconds until the cheese bubbles (optional).1 cup mozzarella cheese
Sarah's Tips
- Don't skip the foil during baking. It traps steam and keeps the pasta from drying out.
- Make ahead: Assemble up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate. Add 5-10 minutes to the covered baking time if baking from cold.
- Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Tools I Use for This Recipe
- Cutting board
- Garlic press
- 9X13 Baking dish
- Measuring spoons and cups needed: 1 cup, ½ cup, and ½ teaspoon
Will Williams says
Hi. Can you please clarify: 2 (16 ounce) jars of marinara or pasta sauce - do you mean 2 x 16oz jars or do you mean 2 jars totalling 160z (i.e. 8oz per jar). Thanks
abbeymarisa@gmail.com says
Hi Will, thanks for the question. The recipe calls for 2 x (16 oz) jars, so a total of 32 oz of marinara or pasta sauce. Enjoy!
Mel says
pasta comes out gummy and weird
Sarah Hill says
Hi Mel, I’m sorry you had a negative experience with this recipe. A gummy texture can sometimes happen if the pasta releases too much starch, which might be affected by the brand or type of pasta used. I recommend using traditional semolina pasta and ensuring the sauce has enough liquid. Stirring the pasta halfway through baking can also help! I truly appreciate your comment and will be re-testing the recipe to see if any adjustments are needed.
C.Murphy says
I never comment on any recipe. Ever. But this recipe is awful. I'd give it 0 stars if it was possible. I made a half recipe, because there are only 2 of us. But even after using extra sauce and adding a bit more water to the smaller casserole dish, and baking it for an extra few minutes, the penne noodles were STILL not cooked through! It was awful! So, I added even more water, wrapped the casserole in dish in layers of plastic wrap and threw it in the microwave for 10 minutes at 70% power. After that, the noodles were softer, but the whole casserole was pasty even though there was extra sauce and extra water. Next time, I'm just gonna make a traditional casserole and boil the noodles. This was absolutely no timesaver and barely edible!
Sarah Hill says
Hi C, I'm so sorry this happened! I've never had this issue before, I really am not sure why the pasta wouldn't cook. A few things that might help—if reducing the recipe, the liquid ratio and baking time may need slight adjustments, and using a smaller dish can impact how the pasta cooks. Also, making sure to cover the dish tightly with foil during baking helps trap steam for even cooking. I truly appreciate your feedback and would love to help troubleshoot!
Christine says
cannot print!!??
Sarah Holt says
Hi Christine, so sorry about that. I just fixed something and you should be able to print now. Please try again and let me know if you still have issues.
Michelle Rolfe says
Great idea for a quick and easy dinner when you have hungry kids to feed! Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare. Michelle
Sarah Holt says
Thanks Michelle!
Helen - Cooking with my kids says
I love a quick and easy dinner. This sounds perfect for a midweek meal in our house.
Sarah Holt says
The best kind of dinners and something everyone will enjoy!
Janice Pattie says
This is so my kind of dinner! I love how easy it is to make and all the flavour that's packed into this dish.
Sarah Holt says
Thanks Janice, love to make easy flavorful meals!