Honeycomb Pasta Cheese Bake (Print Version)

Al dente rigatoni tubes stuffed with cheese mix, baked with marinara and topped with melted cheese.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 lb rigatoni pasta

→ Cheese Filling

02 - 12 oz ricotta cheese
03 - 3.5 oz grated mozzarella cheese
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 ground black pepper

→ Sauce & Topping

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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease a 9-inch springform or deep round baking pan with olive oil and line the bottom with parchment paper.
02 - Boil rigatoni in salted water for 2 minutes less than package directions until very al dente. Drain and toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
03 - Combine ricotta, grated mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Stir until fully blended and smooth.
04 - Stand rigatoni upright in the prepared pan, packing tightly to fill the entire surface area evenly.
05 - Transfer cheese mixture to a piping bag or zip-top bag with a corner cut off. Pipe filling into each pasta tube until fully stuffed.
06 - Pour marinara sauce evenly over the filled rigatoni. Gently tap the pan to settle the sauce between tubes.
07 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan over the sauce-topped pasta.
08 - Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
09 - Remove foil and continue baking for 10 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.
10 - Allow the dish to rest for 10 minutes before releasing the pan sides and slicing. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks restaurant-worthy but tastes like someone made it with genuine care in their own kitchen.
  • Every forkful has that perfect creamy cheese center wrapped in tender pasta, no dry bites.
  • It's the kind of dish that makes people linger at the table longer than they planned to.
02 -
  • The pasta tubes must be al dente or slightly under—fully cooked rigatoni will disintegrate into mush once the sauce and cheese join in.
  • Don't skip the resting period; cutting into it while it's still bubbling hot will cause everything to separate and slide apart on the plate.
  • The sauce between tubes is what steams everything from the inside, so make sure it reaches down into the pan, not just on top.
03 -
  • Prep the cheese filling and cook the pasta ahead of time—you can assemble and bake this in one smooth motion when you're ready, which feels less chaotic than doing everything in sequence.
  • Use your hands to gently pack the tubes into the pan rather than forcing them with a spoon—they're delicate still, and your fingers have better sense of how snug they should be.
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