Baked Mostaccioli

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This baked mostaccioli is the ultimate comfort food dinner. Tender mostaccioli pasta is tossed with sweet Italian sausage, a rich blend of marinara and Alfredo sauce, and plenty of melted mozzarella cheese, then baked until hot, bubbly, and golden.

If you’ve never made baked mostaccioli before, think of it as a cozy Italian pasta bake that’s similar to baked ziti but even creamier. The combination of savory sausage, sweet onions, garlic, and two sauces creates a hearty casserole that’s perfect for family dinners, potlucks, and make-ahead meals.

If you love comforting Italian pasta bakes, be sure to try my Baked Ziti with Ricotta, Chicken Lasagna, and Weeknight Bolognese next. For another easy family favorite, don’t miss my Baked Rigatoni.

What Is Mostaccioli?

Mostaccioli is a tube-shaped pasta with angled ends that is very similar to penne. Traditionally, mostaccioli has a smooth exterior, while penne is usually ridged, though you’ll find both styles on grocery store shelves today.

Because the hollow tubes hold plenty of sauce inside, mostaccioli is an excellent choice for hearty baked pasta dishes. It stands up well to rich meat sauces, creamy sauces, and lots of melted cheese without becoming soggy. That’s why baked mostaccioli has become a classic Italian-American comfort food recipe, often served at family dinners, potlucks, and holiday gatherings.

If you can’t find mostaccioli pasta, penne or ziti make excellent substitutes and can be used interchangeably in this recipe.

✨ Before You Begin

✨ Salt the pasta water generously. This seasons the pasta from the inside out and makes a huge difference in the final dish.

✨ Cook the pasta just to al dente. It will continue cooking in the oven, so keeping it slightly firm prevents mushiness.

✨ Chop aromatics evenly. Onions and garlic that are the same size cook evenly, giving you sweeter, more balanced flavor.

✨ Sauté the aromatics low and slow. This coaxes out natural sweetness and avoids bitterness.

✨ Toast the Italian seasoning. Letting the dried herbs bloom in the warm pan brings all their aroma back to life.

✨ Use sweet Italian sausage if you can. It adds rich, savory depth with a hint of sweetness that truly makes this dish special.

Mostaccioli Ingredients + Key Notes

This is just a quick glance at what you’ll need. For exact measurements and the full ingredient list, head down to the recipe card below.

Mostaccioli pasta: This tube-shaped pasta is perfect for baked pasta dishes because it holds sauce inside every bite. If you can’t find mostaccioli, penne or ziti are great substitutes.

Sweet Italian sausage: The star protein in this recipe. Removing the casings allows it to crumble into the sauce while adding more flavor than traditional ground beef.

Yellow onion: Cooked low and slow, onions add natural sweetness that balances the rich sauce.

Garlic: Fresh garlic builds savory depth and complements both the marinara and Alfredo sauces.

Italian seasoning: A blend of herbs that gives this baked mostaccioli its classic Italian flavor. Toasting it briefly helps wake up the dried herbs.

Spaghetti sauce: Use your favorite jarred marinara or pasta sauce. Since it provides much of the flavor base, choose one you already enjoy.

Alfredo sauce: The secret ingredient that makes this baked mostaccioli extra creamy and rich without requiring a complicated homemade sauce.

Mozzarella cheese: Half gets mixed into the pasta for creamy, cheesy bites, while the remaining cheese creates that irresistible golden topping. Whole milk mozzarella melts best.

Recipe Variations

🥄 Swap the pasta: Penne, rigatoni, or ziti all work beautifully.

🥄 Lighten it up: Use turkey Italian sausage.

🥄 Add veggies: Mushrooms or bell peppers sauté beautifully in this sauce.

🥄 Change the cheese: Try Italian six-cheese blend, provolone, or add dollops of ricotta in the middle.

🥣 How To Make Baked Mostaccioli

Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil and cook the mostaccioli just until al dente. Drain well and set aside. Because the pasta will continue cooking in the oven, it’s important not to overcook it at this stage.

Brown the sausage. In a large skillet, cook the sweet Italian sausage over medium heat, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. Once browned and no longer pink, transfer it to a plate and set aside.

Build the flavor base. Remove most of the excess fat, leaving a couple of tablespoons in the pan. Add the onions and garlic and cook until very soft and fragrant. Stir in the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, allowing the herbs to toast briefly before adding the sauces.

Make the sauce. Return the sausage to the skillet and stir in the spaghetti sauce and Alfredo sauce. Simmer for a few minutes until everything is well combined and heated through.

Assemble the casserole. In a large pot or bowl, combine the cooked pasta, half the mozzarella cheese, and the sausage sauce mixture. Stir until evenly coated, then transfer to a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with the remaining mozzarella.

Bake until bubbly. Bake uncovered at 350°F until the casserole is hot throughout and the cheese is melted and lightly golden. Let the baked mostaccioli rest for about 10 minutes before serving so it slices and serves more easily.

⭐ Pro Tips 

⭐ Go heavy on the salt in your pasta water. Your pasta is the backbone of the dish, so seasoning it well ensures every bite tastes full and rich — not flat.

⭐ Let the onions get really soft. This extra 10 minutes transforms them from sharp and pungent to sweet and mellow, building a richer sauce.

⭐ Toast those dried herbs! A minute in a warm pan reinvigorates their aroma and makes the dish taste fresher and more homemade.

⭐ Mix half the cheese in and half on top. This gives you creamy pockets throughout the pasta and that irresistible cheesy top layer.

⭐ Use a large baking dish if you want to layer ricotta. It turns this mostaccioli into a lasagna-style bake readers absolutely love.

Storing + Reheating + Freezing + Make-Ahead Tips

Storing: Keep leftovers in an airtight container for 3–4 days.

Reheating: Reheat covered at 350°F for 15–20 minutes. (Let cold ceramic/glass warm at room temp for 20–30 minutes to prevent shattering.)

• Or microwave in short bursts with a splash of water.

Freezing: Freeze before or after baking. Wrap tightly in plastic + foil. Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Make-Ahead: Assemble up to 24 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate. Add 10–15 extra minutes of bake time if going into the oven cold.

What to Serve With Mostaccioli

Fresh + Crisp Sides:

Mediterranean Salad, 1905 Salad,  Simple Roasted Peppers, or Sheet Pan Mediterranean Vegetables.

Cozy Breads:

Olive Garden Breadsticks, Garlic Bread, Practically No Knead Bread

Sweet Finishes:

Italian Christmas Cookies, Lemon Ricotta Cookies, Tiramisu, or Cannoli Dip

✦ FAQs

✦ What is baked mostaccioli?

Baked mostaccioli is a classic Italian-American pasta casserole made with mostaccioli pasta, meat sauce, cheese, and seasonings. It’s similar to baked ziti and baked rigatoni, but uses mostaccioli pasta, which is known for its tube shape and ability to hold plenty of sauce.

✦ What is the difference between penne and mostaccioli?

Mostaccioli and penne are very similar tube-shaped pastas with angled ends. Traditionally, mostaccioli has a smooth exterior while penne is ridged. In most baked pasta recipes, they can be used interchangeably.

✦ Can I prep this the night before?

Yes! Assemble the casserole, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. You may need to add 10-15 minutes to the baking time if the casserole is going into the oven cold.

✦ Can I use ground beef instead of sausage?

Absolutely. Ground beef works well, though sweet Italian sausage provides more flavor. Many cooks enjoy using a combination of both.

✦ How long do you bake mostaccioli at 350°F?

This baked mostaccioli typically takes 40-50 minutes at 350°F. The casserole is ready when it’s heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

✦ Can you freeze baked mostaccioli?

Yes! Baked mostaccioli freezes beautifully. You can freeze it either before or after baking. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Tried This Recipe?

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Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today — happy cooking, friends! 💗 Kathleen

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Mostaccioli

This baked mostaccioli is the ultimate comfort food dinner! Tender mostaccioli pasta is tossed with sweet Italian sausage, a rich blend of marinara and Alfredo sauce, and plenty of mozzarella cheese, then baked until hot, bubbly, and golden. Easy to make, freezer-friendly, and perfect for feeding a crowd, this cheesy pasta bake is guaranteed to become a family favorite. 🍝🧀❤️

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 8 Servings

Author: Kathleen

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 (16-ounce) box mostaccioli
• ▢ 1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage casing removed
• ▢ 2 cups yellow onion chopped
• ▢ 1 tablespoon garlic minced
• ▢ 1 1/2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1 (24-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
• ▢ 1 (15-ounce) jar Alfredo sauce
• ▢ 16 ounces Mozzarella shredded~divided
• ▢ fresh parsley Chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray a 9X13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Cook pasta (16 ounces) according to package instructions, in a large pot, just until al dente. Drain and set aside. Dry out the pot and set it aside.
• In another large pot, brown sausage (1 1/2 pounds) over medium heat, crumbling with a spoon as it cooks, until no longer pink; Remove sausage to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.  
• Pour off and discard all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan. Add the onion (2 cups) and garlic (1 tablespoon) then sauté on low heat until they're very soft about 10 minutes.
• Turn up the heat to medium. Add the dried Italian seasoning (1 1/2 tablespoons), salt (1/2 teaspoon), and pepper (3/4 teaspoon) to the onion mixture and continue to sauté, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
• Add spaghetti sauce (1 jar), alfredo sauce (1 jar), and drained sausage, to skillet and mix.
• In the dried pasta pot combine the drained pasta, half the mozzarella, and the sausage-sauce mixture. Mix until evenly combined. Pour into prepared baking pan. Evenly sprinkle top with remaining mozzarella. Bake, uncovered, in preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve.

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• 
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• 
  Chicken Riggies
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  Sloppy Joe Casserole

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Notes

1. Salting The Pasta Water: You must salt your pasta water! No, it doesn’t lower the boiling point of the water, but it does add a ton of flavor. Pasta naturally absorbs water as it cooks. If that water is properly salted, it will absorb salt too. This process essentially seasons the pasta from the inside out giving it a far superior flavor. Be generous, too. I have found that about 1 ½ - 2 tablespoons of salt work best in 4-6 quarts of water.
2. Cooking Pasta: Since the mostaccioli pasta is the star of your dish, you’ll want to make sure it is cooked to a tee. Cooking your pasta al dente will prevent it from becoming mushy as it continues to cook in the oven. Al dente is slightly firm, but not hard, in the middle.
3. Size Matters: Chopping all the aromatic veggies roughly the same size also helps the flavor profile. If they are similar in size, then all the little pieces will reach the same stage in the cooking process together. It's kind of a scientific thing but it really helps with flavor too!
4. Sautéing Aromatics: This is very important to the flavor of the finished dish. It brings out their natural sweetness for a more mellow balanced flavor profile.
5. Toast Spices: Toasting the Italian seasoning in a warm pan allows them to release its aromatic nuances and reinvigorate flavors. In essence, it lets them bloom.
6. Using your favorite sweet Italian sausage amps up the taste factor of your baked mostaccioli tremendously! Just make sure you remove the casing and cook it like ground beef. That slightly sweet savory meat adds something very special that just sends this dish over the top!

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 of the recipe | Calories: 1079kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 63g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Cholesterol: 171mg | Sodium: 2183mg | Potassium: 438mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 530IU | Vitamin C: 6.6mg | Calcium: 437mg | Iron: 2.3mg

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