Grandma's Classic Baked Mostaccioli Recipe

This Classic Baked Mostaccioli is the perfect Italian pasta dish for weeknight dinners, family gatherings, and holiday parties. The perfect combination of marinara sauce, Italian sausage, spices and of course cheese.

This Classic Baked Mostaccioli makes an appearance at nearly every family party we have. One would think we would get tired of eating it, but no, it is so good I could eat it hourly. My grandma has been making this recipe for as long as I can remember. My mother even told me that she ate this pasta as a kid! I won't give away her age, but that's a long time.

This pasta recipe is super easy to make and can work as a weeknight dinner, or as a side for any type of party. Even better is that this pasta can be kept warm in a crock pot to enjoy all day, can be prepped ahead of time and is freezer friendly! This authentic Italian mostaccioli recipe has been a stable in my family for many years and I hope you love it as well.

Ingredient Notes

Mostaccioli Pasta Noodles: Ideally you should use mostaccioli noodles for mostaccioli, but swaps can be made if you cannot find them at your local store. Any large tubular pasta will work for this recipe including rigatoni (what I used), ziti, or penne.

Shredded Cheese: I like my white cheese combination of shredded mozzarella and parmesan. Some shredding asiago cheese can be added as well, or if you really want to cheese this baked mostaccioli up you can add some ricotta cheese in.

Perfect Marinara Sauce: I love to use my homemade marinara sauce in my mostaccioli, but to save time you can use a store bought sauce. Making your own sauce can seem intimidating and time consuming when nn reality it is very simple and only requires an extra 30 minutes. If going to store bought route use two 16oz jars. I recommend using a simple marinara sauce with ingredients like garlic and basil.

Ground Meat: I recommend using half ground beef and half Italian sausage. I think this 50/50 combo yields the perfect flavor combination. Mild or spicy Italian sausage can be used, and in a pinch ground pork can be swapped in.

Why You'll LOVE It
Simple to Prepare: Very little prep work required
Versatile: Works great for family dinners or a party side dish
Kids LOVE it
A Classic Family Recipe: Great flavors and simple ingredients

Instructions

Making this authentic Italian mostaccioli is no harder than making spaghetti. And I think we can all agree that spaghetti is pretty dang easy! This baked mostaccioli recipe is great because there are multiple short cuts that can make this recipe your new go-to weeknight pasta dish. Alternatively, you can also be made completely from scratch and simmer for hours just how my grandma makes it. 

Meat and Pasta Prep

Start by roughly chopping or dicing a white or yellow onion with a sharp knife.

Next, thoroughly cook your ground beef, and Italian sausage until no pink remains, about 5-7 minutes. I like to add onion and garlic to the meats as they cook to develop more flavor. Once finished strain the grease from the meat and then whip out your large skillet and prepare the sauce.

While the meat is browning begin making your mostaccioli noodles. Boil a large pot of water and the follow the package instructions for cooking your pasta al dente.

Making the Sauce

In the same pan you browned the beef and pork in, add the marinara sauce and spices. You can also add in the cooked meat to develop more flavor. Cover and let this simmer for as long as possible (I am for at least 15 minutes). Of course, if you have more time let that sauce simmer and develop even more flavor.

Baking the Mostaccioli

Next, it is time to assemble your pasta and bake it.  Personally, I like to dump everything in a large bowl and mix everything together. If your skillet with the sauce is large enough you could add your noodles to that and mix it that way. Whatever you prefer just make sure all the noodles are coated with sauce.

Mix in a generous amount of mozzarella cheese to the pasta and sauce mixture then again over top for a gooey finish. 

Once combines, add your prepared pasta to a large 13x9 inch baking dish and bake the homemade mostaccioli at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes until heated through and cheese is bubbling. 

Leftover Storage
When stored in the fridge in an airtight container this recipe will stay good for up to 4 days. Re-heat leftovers in the oven (350 degrees for 15-20 minutes) or microwave (60 seconds) until hot.

Pro Tips

Don't leave out the sausage
You can use either mild or hot Italian sausage, or ground pork (in a pinch) just make sure it is not left out. I know with recipes that use a mixture of meats it can be tempting to pick one or the other. Do. Not. Do. That. Here. The Italian sausage is what makes mostaccioli, well mostaccioli. The flavor the meat gives sets this pasta apart from its cousins spaghetti, and lasagna.

If you worry about wasting the leftover meat you can store it in the freezer and save it for another recipe. You could also cook all the meat at one time and add the extra meat to breakfast burritos or eggs for a morning meal the next day. To put into perspective of how important the Italian sausage is to this classic baked mostaccioli recipe, my grandmother would disown you if you left it out.

The More Sauce the Better
I really do not want you to have dried out mostaccioli. It is going to feel like you are using too much sauce. It is then in that moment that you know you are using the perfect amount. If you only use the equivalent of one jar of marinara sauce your pasta is going to be as dry as the Sahara at noon.

Don't Overcook the Pasta
For the best baked mostaccioli you will want to use mostaccioli noodles or a similar tubular pasta. Whatever noodle you use it is important to cook the pasta al denta and not overcook it. When the pasta is overcooked the mostaccioli will be a touch mushy and that's no good.

FAQS

Crockpot Option
Once you make the sauce and pasta you then can put everything together in the crockpot. When you place the mostaccioli in the crockpot on warm and stir occasionally to avoid the bottom from sticking. Also, I recommend adding an additional cup of marinara sauce to keep the pasta from drying out. This option is great for parties.

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Happy Eating!