Easy Weeknight Meal Idea: Cheesy Rotini Pizza Bake Recipe

Pasta dishes have always been some of my favorite, make ahead meals for busy weeknights.  I especially love this Cheesy Rotini Pizza Bake recipe because I can bake it ahead--and even warm it up if need be.  I just pack serving sized portions into thermos style containers to take dinner on the go when the girls are booked with back-to-back evening activities. They get a warm dinner--that I'm not scrambling to make at 7 or 8 pm!  What is my  Cheesy Rotini Pizza Bake Recipe?

 

Ingredients for my easy Cheesy Rotini Pizza Bake recipe
16 oz. Box of Rotini Pasta, cooked and drained (Gluten Free Rotini works great in this recipe as well!)
3 c. Marina Sauce, I use DelGrosso
1 c. Ricotta or Small Curd Cottage Cheese
2 c. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, Divided
1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1/8 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
2 oz. Sliced Pepperoni

Instructions for my easy Cheesy Rotini Pizza Bake recipe:

Prepare Baking Dish & Preheat Oven.  Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Spray an 11x7 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Combine the Cheeses.  In a small mixing bowl, stir together the Ricotta or cottage cheese, 1 cup of the shredded Mozzarella cheese, the Italian seasoning and the black pepper.  Set the mixture aside.

Mix the marinara sauce and the pasta.  In a large mixing bowl (or directly in the pasta pot), add 2 cups of the marinara sauce to the pasta and toss to coat.  Set aside the 3rd cup of marinara sauce.

Build the Cheesy Rotini Bake.  Add the reserved cup of Marinara sauce to the bottom of the baking dish and spread evenly.  Add half of the pasta mixture.  Spread the entire bowl of cheese mixture over that layer of pasta.  Top the cheese mixture with the remaining pasta, the remaining Mozzarella cheese and the pepperoni.  I usually put the pepperoni under the cheese--and then add some extra pepperoni to the top.

Bake and serve.  Bake covered for 25 to 30 minutes.  Serve with salad and warm garlic bread. 

Makes 8 Servings.

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