Feeding a group can drain both energy and a grocery budget, but pasta bakes make it easy to stretch ingredients and keep everyone full. A big pan of noodles, sauce, and cheese delivers comfort and plenty of portions without complicated steps. These recipes range from classic ziti to creative spins with vegetables, chicken, or sausage, all built to hold their own on a busy weeknight or a weekend get-together.
Ground Beef Pasta Skillet
Ground beef simmers with onions, garlic, and tomato sauce before being mixed with pasta and cheese. The flavors meld as it bakes, creating a hearty dish that tastes like it cooked all day while staying easy on the budget.
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Taco Lasagna
Layers of tortillas, seasoned beef, cheese, and creamy sauce bake together into a Mexican-inspired lasagna. The stacked layers hold their shape and flavor, making it a fun, shareable meal that can feed a group without extra effort.
Get the Recipe: Taco Lasagna
Lasagna Rollups
Sheets of pasta are filled with chicken, spinach, and a creamy butternut squash sauce, then rolled up and baked. Each roll holds generous flavor, and arranging them side by side in a casserole dish makes it easy to serve many guests at once.
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Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole
Layers of spaghetti, hearty meat sauce, and plenty of cheese bake together until bubbly and golden. The rich tomato flavor and creamy texture make this a go-to dinner when you need something that feels generous without spending a lot. Serve it with salad or bread to stretch it even further for a hungry crowd.
Get the Recipe: Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole
Creamy Baked Ziti
Ziti pasta is mixed with a velvety cream sauce and marinara, then blanketed in cheese and baked until the edges are lightly browned. The combination of creaminess and tangy tomato sauce makes this a hit at family dinners or potlucks. It’s a budget-conscious way to feed many while keeping the flavor big.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Baked Ziti
Cheese Mac and Cheese
A blend of six cheeses melts into a rich sauce that coats every piece of pasta before being topped with buttery breadcrumbs and baked. This version of mac and cheese is deeply cheesy and comforting, making it a dependable crowd-pleaser for gatherings and weeknights alike.
Get the Recipe: Cheese Mac and Cheese
Chicken Chickpea Pasta Bake
Cooked chicken, chickpeas, and pasta come together in a tomato-based sauce with a layer of melted cheese. The chickpeas add extra protein and a hearty texture, turning this dish into a complete meal that stretches ingredients to feed a large table without extra cost.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Chickpea Pasta Bake
Cheesy And Saucy Baked Spinach Cannelloni
Pasta tubes are stuffed with a seasoned spinach and cheese mixture, covered with tomato sauce, and baked until the cheese melts. The greens give this dish substance and color, and the layers of sauce and cheese make it satisfying enough to anchor a family dinner or group meal.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy And Saucy Baked Spinach Cannelloni
Homemade Spaghetti Casserole
Spaghetti is tossed with a simple tomato sauce, topped with cheese, and baked until bubbly. The familiar flavors of garlic and herbs come together in a dish that works well for busy nights when you need a filling meal that pleases everyone.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Spaghetti Casserole
Baked Rigatoni
Rigatoni pasta and sausage are baked in a tomato sauce with mozzarella and parmesan until hot and melty. The hearty combination of pasta and sausage makes this a great dish to serve at parties or family gatherings where you want big portions without a big price tag.
Get the Recipe: Baked Rigatoni
Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Casserole
Pieces of tender chicken and fresh broccoli are mixed with pasta and a creamy sauce, then topped with cheese and baked. The vegetables add texture and balance, creating a complete meal in one dish that’s easy to prepare for a large group.
Get the Recipe: Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Casserole
Cheesy Tortellini Bake
Cheese-filled tortellini is mixed with a flavorful tomato sauce, covered with more cheese, and baked until bubbly. The stuffed pasta makes the dish extra hearty, and it can easily feed a table of friends or family without requiring expensive ingredients.
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Ground Turkey Pasta Bake
Ground turkey is browned with onions and garlic, then mixed with pasta, vegetables, and tomato sauce before being baked with a thick layer of cheese. The turkey keeps the dish light but filling, making it an excellent choice when you need an affordable meal that still feels substantial.
Get the Recipe: Ground Turkey Pasta Bake
Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pasta
Chicken and mushrooms are cooked in a creamy sauce and combined with pasta, then topped with cheese and baked until golden. The mushrooms deepen the flavor, and the rich sauce clings to every bite of pasta, creating a dish that feels special enough for company but simple enough for a weeknight.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pasta
Nonna’s Pasta al Forno
Pasta is layered with a rich meat sauce, zucchini, and mushrooms, then blanketed in mozzarella and baked. The slow-simmered sauce infuses the dish with deep flavor, and the vegetables add substance, making it a perfect choice for feeding a big family meal.
Get the Recipe: Nonna’s Pasta al Forno
Pasta Rustica with Sausage
Short pasta is tossed with a tomato and sausage sauce and baked with three cheeses until it forms a bubbling crust. The sausage brings a hearty richness that pairs with the cheese for a dish that fills plates generously without stretching the budget.
Get the Recipe: Pasta Rustica with Sausage
Frittata di Pasta
Leftover cooked pasta is mixed with eggs, cheese, and herbs, then baked into a thick, sliceable frittata. This recipe is a smart way to use what you already have while creating a meal that works as lunch, dinner, or part of a larger spread.
Get the Recipe: Frittata di Pasta
Chicken Alfredo Baked Ravioli
Cheese ravioli and pieces of chicken are coated in creamy alfredo sauce and baked until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens. The rich flavors and soft texture make it an easy recipe to double when you need to feed several people at once.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Alfredo Baked Ravioli
Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake
Cooked pasta and chunks of chicken are combined with a homemade alfredo sauce and a blanket of cheese before baking. The creamy sauce holds everything together and turns into a dish that keeps its flavor and texture even if made ahead for a crowd.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake
Viral Baked Tiktok Pasta
Pasta bakes with a block of Boursin cheese, cherry tomatoes, and garlic until the cheese melts into a creamy sauce. A quick stir brings everything together into a rich and flavorful meal that easily stretches to feed several people.
Get the Recipe: Viral Baked Tiktok Pasta
Cheesy Baked Ziti
Ziti pasta is mixed with alfredo, Boursin, and marinara sauces, then baked under a thick layer of mozzarella and parmesan. The result is a hearty pasta bake that can handle a large table and still leave leftovers for another meal.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Baked Ziti
Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake
Cooked chicken and broccoli florets are combined with pasta and a creamy cheese sauce, topped with breadcrumbs, and baked until golden. The mix of protein, vegetables, and pasta makes it a complete meal that can fill a large casserole dish and feed a crowd.
Get the Recipe: Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake
Creamy Ham Pasta Bake
Cubes of ham, broccoli florets, and pasta are coated in a cheesy cream sauce, topped with breadcrumbs, and baked until crisp on top. It’s a filling and balanced dish that uses everyday ingredients and stretches easily to serve many people.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Ham Pasta Bake
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.