Next Post
Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie Cupcakes with Butter Pecan Frosting.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Rigatoni pasta baked in a sun-dried tomato sauce that’s cheesy and so delicious! The secret to this one-pan pasta? Cooking the pasta in red wine. No boiling water, no extra pans! This is the perfect fall and winter dish to serve any night of the week. But is equally awesome for your next Saturday night dinner. It’s delicious and looks pretty on any table…not to mention that everyone LOVES a GOOD baked pasta. This pasta dish will be your new go-to!
It’s about this time every year, that I really lean into those recipes that I know my family will love most. The week before Thanksgiving is usually when family members begin to slowly arrive…my brothers, cousins, all the girlfriends, and a few other strays that always seem to trickle in.
This year, things are looking pretty different, just my siblings and cousins (who kind of became siblings when my aunt passed). Even though our gathering will be smaller, I still wanted to keep some of my same traditions alive. Enter this pasta. It’s one of those recipes that feeds a crowd, and definitely one of those dinners that makes everyone happy.
I love serving a simple baked pasta on everyone’s first night back home for Thanksgiving and or Christmas. I usually add a side salad and some beer bread. It’s always the perfect dinner to welcome everyone back home during the days leading up to Thanksgiving. It’s easy for me to prepare, and the perfect simple but delicious dinner. It pretty much says, “welcome home for the holidays, cozy up, and stay awhile”.
Such a cheesy line, but I’m all about cheesy these days.
Since so many of our holiday plans are different, I wanted to share a recipe that would give everyone that same feeling of comfort. Nothing really beats a home-cooked meal, but I figure if you can’t go home, why not bring a little of “home” to your kitchen.
I mean, right? Yes, yes. Of course. Thankfully this is easy to prepare, so whether you love cooking or are just a beginner in the kitchen, this is easy enough that we can all recreate it…
Hello to one pan and done.
Here are the details.
This is a pasta I’ve been making for a while now. It’s the recipe I fall back on when I’m busy and have zero time to put in any effort for dinner. Kind of what I call the effortless dinner.
You ready for this? Add every single ingredient to a large baking dish. Add water, then cover the dish and bake. No boiling water, no pots, nothing fancy at all.
Once everything is mixed up in the baking dish, simply add the water right into the dish. I know it may seem odd, but trust me, it works. Just cover with foil and bake until that cheese is bubbly. Cooking the pasta together with the sauce saves you from additional prep work and having to break out another pot. Not sure about you guys, but I am all about fewer dishes.
Easy, right? YES. But yet the outcome is DELICIOUS.
Here are some keys for success.
First, you want to use a short cut pasta for this. Since we’re cooking the pasta all together in the baking dish, the short cut is able to more evenly cook. I love using rigatoni, but you can use any short cut pasta you love!
Second, the red wine. Of course, if you don’t drink wine you can omit this and swap for chicken or vegetable broth. Make this work for you. But if you do enjoy wine, use the wine. It adds a richness that really compliments the sun-dried tomatoes within the sauce.
And that brings me to the tomatoes. I like to use a mix of crushed tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes. The sun-dried tomatoes are KEY for adding flavor to this. You’re going to use both the tomatoes and that oil left behind in the jar. Between the herbed oil and the sweet tomatoes, you’ll get so much flavor from just one ingredient.
And lastly, the cheeses! Four types of cheese are better than one…right? Of course. I used a combination of melty fontina cheese, asiago, parmesan, and sharp provolone. ‘Tis a delicious combination, but feel free to use whatever cheese you have on hand. All cheese is good cheese.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheat
-
Make-Ahead: Assemble up to 1 day ahead; hold back some cheese for topping just before baking. Expect slightly softer pasta after hold time.
-
Fridge: Cool, then store airtight 3–4 days.
-
Freeze: Freeze baked portions in flat containers for up to a few months; thaw in the fridge.
-
Reheat: Cover and warm gently (oven or skillet), adding a splash of broth/milk to loosen; uncover to re-crisp the top.
FAQ:
Can I skip the wine?
Yes—use chicken or veggie broth. For a similar brightness, add a small splash of white wine vinegar or lemon to taste at the end.
Which cheeses melt best?
Low-moisture mozzarella + fontina/provolone give great pull; finish with parmesan or pecorino for salty depth. Keep any ricotta in dollops.
Will gluten-free pasta work?
It can—choose a sturdy shape and cook slightly under so it doesn’t soften too much in the oven. Let the bake rest a few minutes to set.
How do I prevent a greasy top?
Pat oil-packed tomatoes dry and measure cheese by weight if possible. If the top looks oily, rest 5–10 minutes; the sauce will re-emulsify.
And that is it. This takes only about an hour to prepare. Then you’ll have cheesy baked pasta ready for eating….and your kitchen will still be semi-clean! But even more importantly, it’s going to smell like an Italian grandma’s kitchen. It’s an amazing aroma, and trust me, this rigatoni tastes even better. Think saucy, but still heavy on the pasta, with a good amount of seasonings and herbs. The wine and tomatoes add a hearty richness, and all that cheese on top…well that’s the best part!
You see, you can’t go wrong with a baked pasta like this. My one tip? To make this dish fancy…ish, serve it topped with fried oregano and a bottle of red wine. Perfect for these long November and December nights.
Looking for other easy pasta bakes? Here are my favorites:
One Pot 30 Minute Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta Bake
Slow Roasted Mushroom Pasta with Crisp Rosemary Chickpeas
Roasted Red Pepper Alla Vodka Pasta with Cheesy Oregano Breadcrumbs
Lastly, if you make this One Pan 4 Cheese Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Pasta Bake, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
One Pan 4 Cheese Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Pasta Bake
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 473 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed san marzano tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes oil drained, but reserved
- 1 (10 ounce) pkg frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess liquid
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- kosher salt and black pepper
- crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup red wine or chicken broth
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- 1 cup cubed fontina cheese
- 1 1/2 cups grated asiago cheese
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded provolone
- fresh basil, parsley, or oregano, for serving
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Oil a 9x13 inch baking dish. 2. To the baking dish, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes...plus 3 tablespoons of the oil left in the jar, the spinach, garlic, basil, oregano, red wine, and 1 1/2 cups water. Season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Add the dry pasta, fontina cheese, asiago, and parmesan, tossing to coat. Push down gently on the pasta to submerge it. Sprinkle the provolone evenly over top. 3. Rub the underside of a piece of foil with oil. Tightly cover the baking dish with the foil, oiled side facing down. Bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake another 15- 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from the oven and top with fresh herbs.
This post was originally published on November 19, 2020
Can this recipe be made with fresh baby spinach?
Thanks.
Hey Ellen,
Yes, that would work well, you just need to cook it down first. I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
What kind of wine do you recommend using with this recipe? Thank you!
Hey Jennifer,
I like to use a Cabernet Sauvignon. I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
This was delicious!! A few tweaks: I wound up using about 2.5 cups of water when it was all said and done. I added the extra cup after the 40 minutes of baking, made sure to submerge any exposed rigatoni , recovered and baked for another 40. I only needed to bake uncovered for about 15. The beauty is the red wine on hand “for the sauce” to keep you company during the additional bake time. It was well worth the wait, my family enjoyed the different taste of the sun dried tomatoes. I will definitely be making this again!
Hey Megan,
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Thanks for sharing what worked well for you. Have the best day! xTieghan
Can this be prepared in the morning and placed in the fridge until home from work then baked?
Yes definitely! xTieghan
This sounds amazing but I would like to know if you tried it with fresh pasta? And if so did you have to adjust any of the liquid or baking times?
Thank you!
Hey Mary! I’m so sorry I haven’t tried this recipe with fresh pasta! I’m sure it would be delicious though! xTieghan
Is the Parmesan cheese shredded or cubed?
Hi there, the parmesan is shredded! 🙂 xTieghan
How much pasts should be used?
I am sure this is going to be tasty… when it eventually comes out of the oven. I followed the instructions to a T but was worried that my noodles would be hard since the water was not high enough to submurge them. So I added a little more water than it read in the instructions (1-2 cups) but after 40 minutes I took it out and the noodles were hard. So I added another cup of water until the noodles were 100% submerged. I have no idea when to take it out now of course. Not happy that the instructions are wrong. The only thing I changed was that I used 2 handfuls of baby spinach instead of fresh. I measured the baking dish and it is 9×13.
Hi Celia! I am so sorry this recipe didn’t work out the way you hoped! Is there anything I can do to help? xTieghan
Overated…not worth the effort. I followed the recipe exactly and some of the pasta was dry….these baked pasta recipes without boiling the pasta are often this way…
Hey Donna, I’m so sorry this recipe didn’t turn out the way you hoped! Is there anything I can do to help? Thanks xTieghan
Can I use fresh spinach instead of frozen?
Thanks Tieghan!
Hey! Yes, you definitely can! xTieghan
This was a homerun for our weekly dinner party last night. I added 1 lb. of cooked Italian sausage and an extra 1/2 cup of water (because I was hesitant of too much stuff and not enough liquid). The noodles were perfectly cooked. One dish…easy clean up…will be an absolute repeat in my world.
Hi Lorraine! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 xTieghan
No amount for water ?..not mentioned in method..
It says to add 1 1/2 cups water in the instructions (step 2.)
Teighan, you keep contradicting yourself when responding to comments. for instance, even though you say in the instructions to add 1 1/2 Cups water, you then told someone NOT to add water… this recipe isn’t reliable and you NEVER address this… There are MANY people who have had problems with it! Please address it!
Hi Geraldine,
Please follow the recipe as is and use 1 1/2 cups of water:)
Hi there! The recipe should cook just fine with no water and just the ingredients listed 🙂 xTieghan
I tried this a couple of nights ago and it’s so good! I followed the recipe as-written and the noodles came out perfectly cooked. I had considered adding some Italian sausage but decided to try it without first, and I didn’t think you needed it; the sauce is thick and rich just with the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. I’ve been eating it for lunch every day this week- it reheats perfectly! Killer recipe 🙂
Hi there! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I hope it was delicious! xTieghan
This was good but I followed the directions and there pasta was undercooked and hard and half cooked and half not. Not sure what happened…
Hey Isabelle! So sorry about that! Did you do anything differently in the recipe? Perhaps it needed more liquid? Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
You should add the water to the ingredients list.
Hi there, thanks for the feedback! xTieghan
I’ll definitely make this again, the flavors were delicious! I used a Wente Cab Sav and only the cubed fontina-trying to be a little more healthy. I made it in a 2.5 qt dish since there’s just two of us. I cooked for 30 min covered, 5 min uncovered and it wasn’t enough time-which is completely my fault. The noodles were not cooked through and I didn’t want to wait any longer. Next time, I’ll boil the noodles for a couple of minutes then add them to the dish. I realize this defeats the purpose of a one pan meal, but I think it will be worth it.
Hi there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Have a wonderful week! xTieghan
Hi Amber — After reading all of the comments, I was going to ask this very question (how about cooking the noodles a bit before adding to the dish?). I know that means one more pot, but it does not seem like a big deal. For me, it would give me peace of mind because some of my family likes soft OVERCOOKED noodles! 🙂
I’m with Doreen, this is a wow! I made it using whole wheat rotini and it is so cheesy and delicious. A new favorite to take to potlucks.