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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
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Make-Ahead: Assemble up to 1 day ahead; hold back some cheese for topping just before baking. Expect slightly softer pasta after hold time.
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Fridge: Cool, then store airtight 3–4 days.
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Freeze: Freeze baked portions in flat containers for up to a few months; thaw in the fridge.
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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
I’m not a fan of frozen spinach; will fresh work?
Hey Swede,
Yes but you will want to cook it down and drain first. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
I was a little skeptical about throwing everything, including the uncooked pasta, into the casserole dish. However, this dish was absolutely amazing and perfect. My hubby and stepson had seconds, repeatedly told me how good it was, and said, “this is a keeper!” Hubby has celiac and I used gluten free penne and it came out perfect – couldn’t tell it was GF. It’s always hard to get GF pasta cooked just right when boiling it. I think cooking it in the delicious broth really made all the difference. I used the cheese I had on hand – mozzarella, asiago, Reggiano parmesan, and Drunken Goat. Thinking about making it with sausage next time. Thank you for this recipe!
Amazing! Thank you so much for trying this one, Stacey! I am glad it turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Just made this for the family. It was delicious! Thanks, Tieghan for a new addition to the dinner rotation. You can’t go wrong with 4 cheeses and sun-dried tomatoes! I love your site and your Instagram posts – my favorite recipe blogger for sure! Happy Thanksgiving – wish we had snow in Tennessee!
Right! I am really glad you enjoyed this one, Pam! Thank you! xTieghan
This was so easy and delicious!!! I didn’t use Asiago because I have picky eaters so I used a mix of mozzarella and provolone. Also used chicken stock instead of red wine! Will definitely be making this again and trying with the red wine next time. Thank you!
Thank you so much Meghan! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Thank you for sharing another scrumptious pasta dish, Tiegan! After reading reviews I was a bit nervous about my pasta thoroughly cooking without boiling first, so I used penne instead of rigatoni, and cooked an additional 10 minutes covered. The pasta was fully cooked and did not taste starchy. I did find that it quickly soaked up the sauce after uncovering and continuing to bake, so next time (and there will be a next time!) I will leave covered a bit longer before removing the foil. Or may just bake it covered for the entirety. So many delicious flavors, even with no meat. My family raved. Outstanding!
Thank you so much Mel! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This recipe was so fantastic! Made it for a Saturday night Italian night and it blew my socks off. I cant believe how well the pasta cooked – and you really could tell the difference with the wine addition. So rich and delicious – perfect for a rainy Saturday night. I made a few slight changes – I added Cooked Italian sausage to the dish. And I’m gluten free so I used Red lentil pasta which was still so delicious and still cooked perfectly. Will definitely be making this again!
Thank you so much Molly! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I made this tonight and it was delicious! I used Cabernet Sauvignon and the sauce was very rich and satisfying for a fall night. It’s a great pasta bake, it’s cheesy and saucy and perfectly complemented by a glass of red wine!. I thought I put in a good amount of salt and red pepper flakes but would add more of each next time. Not the recipe’s fault though! Thanks Tieghan!
Hi Maggie! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! Thank you so much for trying this one! xTieghan
One of my favorite meals. It’s so good and super easy to make. I absolutely love that you literally put everything in one pan and bake it. Perfect for a cool night where you just want to cozy up and not spend tons of time making dinner.
I am really glad you have been loving this Samantha! Thank you! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! I absolutely LOVE all your recipes and even though I’ve never commented on here before, I literally make your recipes almost every night and they are always an absolute WINNER! (Still building up the courage to post a photo one day 😉 )
I’m planning on making this recipe tonight and wanted to know if I could substitute the sundried tomatoes for some fire roasted peppers?
Also, I find this comment section SO helpful even from people who haven’t yet made the dish, as they often ask questions that I have and your responses are always great! Thank you!! xx
Hey Laura,
Thank you so very much for following along and trying the recipes! I think fire roasted peppers would be great here! I hope you love the recipe, Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
I thought I followed the recipe but my pasta was totally uncooked and dry and crunchy? I’ve just put it back the oven with another 2 cups of water, hoping to salvage it, but maybe we’ll end up having leftovers tonight.
Looks like a great idea but mine needed waaaay more liquid.
This was delicious!!! My husband made it and watch the video of the red wine pour- so he kept pouring!! Lol more than the 1 cup recommended. Nonetheless less- delicious!
Could you assemble and refrigerate overnight? Or would you recommend cooking it the day before and reheating?
If you want to add ground chicken or Turkey should you cook it first and then put it together in the pan or uncooked all together?
Hey Emily,
Yes, you will want to cook first. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
The pasta didn’t cook thoroughly and the whole texture was off. It was pasty. Also, we felt the wine and sun dried tomatoes overpowered the dish. Great idea but we will change up the recipe by cooking the pasta separately, eliminating the sun dried tomatoes, and cooking the sauce to mellow out the flavors before assembly and a final bake to melt the cheeses.
Hi Janet! I am sorry this did not turn out as expected. Is there anything that changed while making this recipe? I would love to help! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan. This looks delicious. Going to make this today. I only have fresh baby spinach. Can I sub that for frozen?
Hey Barbara,
Yes that would be fine to use but you will need too cook it down and drain the liquid first. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan