Baked Mostaccioli combines Italian sausage, peppers, garlic, onions, and marinara, all blanketed in mozzarella and provolone cheese. It is the ultimate easy comfort food meal, family-friendly and guaranteed to please!
This baked pasta is a hearty meal by itself, but I like to serve it with triple cheese garlic bread and Italian salad for a complete, company-worthy meal.
The Ultimate Baked Mostaccioli
This is not your lunch ladies’ mostaccioli—or your wedding day mostaccioli. This delicious baked mostaccioli contains layers of fresh Italian sausage, sweet onions, minced garlic, and marinara. It is then topped with Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
Baked Mostaccioli can be prepped in advance, loaded in the refrigerator, and baked at the optimum time. We are one pasta-loving family. Pasta is so easy, comforting, and darn delicious every time. If you like this recipe, try chicken tortellini alfredo, spaghetti and meatballs, beefaroni, and cheese stuffed manicotti.
How to make Baked Mostaccioli
First, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook your mostaccioli noodles al dente according to package instructions and drain well. Meanwhile, brown the sausage in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. When about halfway browned, add the green pepper and onions. Cook until the peppers and onions are soft. Reduce the heat and add the minced garlic and Italian seasoning, cooking for one minute. Remove the pan from the heat and drain any excess grease.
Next, stir in the cooked sausage mixture, cooked pasta, and marinara. You can also transfer everything to a casserole dish. Then, top the pasta mixture with an even layer of grated Parmesan Cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or until the cheese melts and lightly browns. If desired, garnish with chopped fresh Italian parsley.
What to Serve With Baked Mostaccioli
- Olive Garden copycat salad
- Garden salad
- No knead bread
- Minestrone soup
- Breadsticks
- Cabbage soup
- Vegetable soup
- Creamy cucumber tomato salad
Recipe Tips
- Cook the mostaccioli al dente, which means still somewhat firm. It will be baked with the sausage, veggies, and sauce. Don’t overcook it.
- Use good quality Italian sausage. Most butcher shops make their own, which tastes much better than processed sausage with all the preservatives.
- Grate and shred your cheese fresh from the block. That way, you will not have preservatives, added enzymes, and cellulose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Substitute ground beef, ground turkey, or ground pork for the Italian sausage.
Other tubular pasta types to use include penne, ziti, or rigatoni.
More Pasta Recipes
Baked Mostaccioli Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 ounces mostaccioli pasta
- 1 lb bulk Italian sausage
- 1 large green pepper seeded veined and chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4-5 cups marinara sauce or tomato sauce
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the mostaccioli noodles al dente according to package instructions and drain well.
- Brown sausage in a skillet on medium heat. Remove sausage to plate; cover and keep warm.
- Add peppers and onions to the same skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until the edges of the onions start to brown. Add garlic and cook for 1 additional minute. Remove from heat.
- Combine the cooked sausage mixture, cooked mostaccioli, and marinara in a large baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Sprinkle with mozzarella, and parmesan.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and started to brown just a touch. If desired garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Belinda Shannon
I made this recipe for my family, so tasty and delicious! Thank you.
Angela
I think it needed a little more sauce, and my son wants more Parm, but it was very good!!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Angela! I am glad that you liked it!
Lorri
I need to make a full size pan ( like at a wedding ) for a graduation party. Any idea on how much I would need?
Beth Pierce
Maybe 4 times that but I would need to know the depth of the pan.
Teresa Taylor
Looking forward to trying this recipe. Quick question. The ingredients on recipe doesn’t mention provolone however you mention provolone in directions. Am I missing something? If I include provolone , how much? Thank you. It sounds wonderful.
Beth Pierce
I redid that recipe without the provel and I forgot to remove it from the directions. Provel is a very regional cheese blend that is very hard to find unless you live around St. Louis. Thanks for catching that for me.
Zab Zaria
This recipe sounds absolutely delicious, and I am looking forward to trying it soon!
Nancy
This was the absolute perfect winter dish! We are always looking for more awesome recipes! Thank you! We will make this again!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Nancy!
Sally
This dish was delicious! The combination of sausage, peppers, garlic, onions, and marinara sauce creates a mouth-watering flavor. And who can resist all that melted mozzarella and provolone cheese on top? It is easy to make and family friendly. A must try in our opinion.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Sally! So glad that you liked it!
Frank
Another great recipe that we loved! Delicious and so easy. I fed my kids and several of their friend. Thanks for the hearty recipe!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Frank!
Mel
We love this pasta recipe. It is easy to make, dependable, delicious, and hearty. Served with a simple garden salad my family is satisfied for the rest of the evening and I don’t find my teenagers snacking.
Beth Pierce
That is always a good thing.
Renee
The melty cheese on top of that perfectly baked pasta is a sight to behold. It’s like a comforting hug on a plate, and I can almost smell the savory aroma through the screen!
Olga
Great mostaccioli recipe. Much better than the wedding mostaccioli that I remember from my young adulthood. It was a like a blast from the past with much better flavor and texture. Thank you!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Olga! So glad that you liked it.
Cinny
This was a tasty hearty dish that the whole family enjoyed. Thanks for sharing the recipe, Beth.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Cinny! I am glad that you enjoyed it.
Ebony
I tried this recipe yesterday for dinner and it was soooo good! My family loved it! I added a few fresh herbs like rosemary and flat-leaf parsley. This recipe is a keeper!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Ebony! I am so glad that you liked the baked mostaccioli.