Honeycomb Pasta Bake (Print)

Creamy cheese-filled rigatoni tubes baked under a savory marinara sauce creating a golden, comforting main dish.

# Ingredients:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 lb rigatoni

→ Cheese Filling

02 - 12 oz ricotta cheese
03 - 3.5 oz grated mozzarella
04 - 1.75 oz grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
07 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
08 - 1/2 tsp salt
09 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Sauce & Topping

10 - 24 oz marinara sauce
11 - 5 oz shredded mozzarella
12 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 1 tbsp olive oil

# Instructions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform or deep round pan with olive oil and line the base with parchment paper.
02 - Boil rigatoni in salted water until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and toss with a splash of olive oil to avoid sticking.
03 - In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, grated mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, basil, parsley, salt, and black pepper. Stir until smooth and homogeneous.
04 - Position cooked rigatoni tubes standing upright in the prepared pan, packed tightly to fill the space fully.
05 - Transfer cheese mixture to a piping bag or a resealable plastic bag with a corner cut off. Pipe filling into each pasta tube until full.
06 - Pour marinara sauce evenly over the pasta containers, tapping pan gently to settle sauce between tubes. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan on top.
07 - Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes, then remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden.
08 - Allow the bake to rest for 10 minutes before releasing the springform. Slice and serve warm.

# Pro Tips:

01 -
  • It looks like restaurant-quality magic but tastes even better than it looks.
  • The cheese-filled tubes stay tender while the edges crisp up in the oven, giving you texture in every bite.
  • It's the kind of dish that makes people linger at the table asking for seconds.
02 -
  • If your pasta breaks when standing it upright, it was cooked too long—err on the side of very firm next time.
  • The piping bag method looks fussy but prevents overstuffing and ensures even filling, which matters more than you'd think.
03 -
  • Use fresh mozzarella in the filling if you want it extra creamy, but drain it well so you don't add unwanted moisture.
  • The springform pan isn't just for show—it makes releasing this intact possible without the whole thing falling apart.
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