Creamy Tomato Pasta Bake for a Crowd
A crowd-pleasing baked pasta in a creamy tomato sauce with a golden, bubbling cheese top. Vegetarian, endlessly adaptable, and cheap to scale up — the sort of comforting family dinner that quietly feeds six with leftovers for lunch.
By Palate Palace Kitchen
About This Recipe
This comforting Italian-style pasta bake is a crowd-pleasing vegetarian dinner designed to satisfy a hungry family on a budget. Combining hearty tubes of pasta with a rich, bubbling sauce, it delivers the ultimate cozy, baked-pasta experience in under an hour. It is a wonderfully accessible dish that brings the warmth of traditional Italian home cooking to your table with minimal effort.
The magic of this preparation lies in its beautifully balanced, velvety sauce. Simmering canned tomatoes with aromatic onion, garlic, and dried basil creates a robust, savory base, which is then transformed by stirring in rich cream cheese or creme fraiche. This clever addition tempers the natural acidity of the tomatoes, yielding a luxurious, creamy coating that clings perfectly to every ridge of the penne or rigatoni.
To ensure the best results, cook your pasta a couple of minutes shy of the package instructions before draining. This essential technique prevents the noodles from becoming mushy, allowing them to finish cooking to a perfect al dente texture while baking in the oven. For a sensible variation, you can easily customize the topping by using a mix of mozzarella for stretch and parmesan for a sharp, savory bite.
Once the cheese topping is baked to a bubbling, golden brown, let the dish rest for a few minutes before serving to allow the sauce to set. This pasta bake pairs wonderfully with a crisp, simple green salad to cut through the richness of the cheese. Any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated the next day for an equally delicious lunch.
Ingredients
- 500 g Dried pasta (penne or rigatoni)
- 800 g Chopped tomatoes, tinned
- 1 large Onion, diced
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 150 g Cream cheese or creme fraiche
- 150 g Grated cheese
- 1 tbsp Dried basil
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Cook the pasta a couple of minutes short of the packet time, then drain.
8 min
- 2
Soften the onion and garlic in oil, add the tomatoes and basil, and simmer.
12 min
- 3
Stir the cream cheese through the sauce, then fold in the pasta.
3 min
- 4
Tip into a large dish, top with grated cheese, and bake at 200C until golden.
15 min
- 5
Rest a few minutes before serving.
2 min
Nutrition Facts
430
kcal
Calories
16
g
Protein
62
g
Carbs
14
g
Fat
6
g
Fiber
560
mg
Sodium
Rate This Recipe
Beverage Pairings
Italy pairs food and wine by region: a bright, high-acid red like Chianti mirrors tomato-based sauces, while sparkling Prosecco and the bittersweet Aperol Spritz open the meal. Coffee closes it — an espresso or cappuccino after dolci is almost ritual.
Wine, Beer & Spirits
Its tart cherry acidity cuts through tomato and olive oil and lifts herbs. Enough structure to stand up to a rich, hearty dish.
Serve slightly cool (16–18°C) in a large red-wine glass.
Firm tannin and dark fruit stand up to rich ragu and braised meats. Enough structure to stand up to a rich, hearty dish.
Decant 1–2 hours; serve at 18°C.
A crisp coastal white for seafood pasta and lighter antipasti. Enough structure to stand up to a rich, hearty dish.
Serve chilled (9–11°C).
Fine bubbles and pear notes make a classic aperitivo and fried-food match.
Serve very cold (6–8°C) in a flute.
The quintessential Italian aperitivo — bittersweet and refreshing before the meal.
Serve over ice with an orange slice.
Non-Alcoholic
The traditional close to an Italian meal, especially after dessert. Enough structure to stand up to a rich, hearty dish.
Serve immediately in a warm demitasse.
A clean, alcohol-free palate refresher between courses. Enough structure to stand up to a rich, hearty dish.
Serve cold with a citrus twist.
Light and palate-cleansing — a safe, refreshing choice. Enough structure to stand up to a rich, hearty dish.
Steep at 75–80°C for 2 minutes.
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