Baked mostaccioli is a warm, delicious, comforting meal. Tubular pasta with Italian sausage and creamy cheese. This is a dinner the whole family will love.
If you like baked pasta be sure to try baked ravioli, chicken lasagna, and baked macaroni and cheese.
Why You’ll Love This Baked Mostaccioli Recipe
- The ultimate comfort food. Full of cheese and sausage, this is a super satisfying meal.
- Can be prepped ahead of time and baked when ready to eat.
- Makes amazing leftovers! Perfect for two weeknight meals.
What is Mostaccioli?
Mostaccioli noodles are a short, diagonally cut, tube shaped pasta that is smooth on the side.
The difference between it and Ziti is that Ziti is blunt cut.
Mostaccioli vs Penne
Penne is a short, tubular pasta that typically has ridged sides. Mostaccioli is actually a type of penne pasta, “penne lisce,” and has smooth sides.
Baked Mostaccioli Pasta Ingredients
- Italian sausage – Choose your favorite sausage. You could use sweet or hot. I have even used breakfast sausage.
- Mostaccioli – If you can’t find mostaccioli, substitute with penne or ziti. You can even substitute with gluten-free pasta.
- Cottage cheese – I prefer using small curd. You can also substitute with ricotta cheese.
- Shredded mozzarella cheese – If possible, shred the cheese yourself. I find it melts much better than bagged, pre-shredded cheese.
- Parmesan cheese – You can use grated or shredded.
- Jarred marinara sauce – Choose your favorite brand.
- Eggs – These help to bind the cottage cheese and cheese together.
- Fresh parsley – This adds a little green and freshness to the dish.
Baked Mostaccioli Recipe Variations
- Meat – You can substitute pork sausage with turkey or chicken sausage. You could also use ground beef.
- Vegetables – Try adding some vegetables like diced mushrooms, eggplant, diced bell peppers, or even spinach.
How to Make Mostaccioli Pasta
Scroll to the bottom for full, printable recipe, ingredients and video.
- Prepare: Cook Italian sausage in large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Be sure to cook until browned and cooked through. Cook pasta according to package in a large pot. You can add olive oil to the water to help prevent sticking but I don’t think it’s necessary. Cook al dente, around 10 minutes.
- Sauce: Once the sausage has cooked. Pour in the marinara sauce. Stir and turn heat to low. Let it sit until ready to use.
- Filling: In a small bowl, mix together eggs, cottage cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella, 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Layer 1: Spray 9 x 13 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Layer half of the meat sauce mixture on the bottom. Top with half of the cooked pasta.

- Layer 2: Next, layer all of the cottage cheese mixture. Top with the rest of the pasta, then sauce mixture, 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan.

- Bake: Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and cook another 10 minutes.
Mostaccioli Recipe Tips
- Be sure to cook the mostaccioli al dente since it will be baked for about 40 minutes.
- Use your favorite jarred or homemade sauce. I am using Rao’s marinara for this recipe. If you like a little extra seasoning, feel free to stir in 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning with the sauce.
- Want to sneak in some vegetables? Add diced green pepper in the skillet after cooking the sausage. Let cook for 2-3 minutes to soften.
- Want to add a little heat? Try mixing in 1/2 tablespoon of red pepper flakes into the sauce.
- Be sure to cook the mostaccioli al dente since it will be baked for about 40 minutes. You don’t want to past too soft or it will fall apart.
Serving Suggestions
Try serving this baked pasta with a fresh salad and garlic bread for a complete meal.
How to Store Mostaccioli Pasta
Store: Let the baking dish and pasta completely cool. Cover with foil or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Freeze: This makes a great freezer meal. Make the dish according to instructions but do not bake. Cover with plastic wrap and foil. Store in freezer for 3 months.
Reheat: This dish makes wonderful leftovers. Cover with foil and bake for 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until warmed through. If reheating from frozen, let thaw in the refrigerator and then reheat in the oven.

FAQ for Mostaccioli
You can find Mostaccioli served in restaurants around Chicago.
Mostaccioli is a short, tubular pasta that is actually a type of penne pasta, “penne lisce.”
Yes, you can substitute penne for Mostaccioli.
More pasta recipes
These are some great pasta recipes even the pickiest eater will enjoy.
- Green pasta sauce – This sauce is a great alternative to marinara. Made with spinach.
- Sour cream beef noodle bake – Cheesy, pasta bake that is always a hit.
- Supreme pizza casserole – Filled with all the favorite supreme pizza toppings.
- Buttered noodles – The perfect, easy side dish.
Baked Mostaccioli
Ingredients
- 1 lb box mostaccioli pasta
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage
- 1 24-28 oz jar marinara sauce
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Brown Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. While sausage is cooking, boil pasta according to package. (Around 10 minutes.) Drain pasta once finished cooking.
- Once sausage is finished cooking, pour in marinara and stir the sausage to combine. Let sit on low heat until ready to use.
- In a bowl, stir together cottage cheese, eggs, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, salt and pepper.
- Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add half the sauce mixture and spread over bottom of casserole dish.
- Top with half the cooked pasta. Top with ALL of the cottage cheese mixture.
- Top with remaining pasta, remaining sauce, 1 cup mozzarella and 1 cup Parmesan. Cover dish in foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove baking dish from oven and remove foil. Finish baking for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Video
Notes
- Be sure to cook the mostaccioli al dente since it will be baked for about 40 minutes. You don’t want to past too soft or it will fall apart.
- Use your favorite jarred or homemade sauce, I like Rao’s marinara. If you like a little extra seasoning, feel free to stir in 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning in with the meat sauce.
- Want to sneak in some vegetables? Add diced green pepper in the skillet after cooking the sausage. Let cook for 2-3 minutes to soften.
Michele
We loved this recipe . My second time making it for the grandkids ! And they are fussy eaters . But we lo love mostocioli.. yum 😋
Lm
Super quick to make and everyone loved it!
Lakeeter Whitley
Making tonight well let you know how it turns out very simple recipe I made it without the cottage cheese only mozzarella and parmesan and a dash of sharp cheddar on top.
Ashley F
This is such a delicious meal! So heart and comforting! The whole family loves it!
Lily
What an easy family dinner, so cheesy and delicious. We loved this recipe, I mean who can resist pasta and cheese?!
Melissa
Delicious – great family dinner!