With nearly a perfect 5-star rating on well over 100 reviews, this is not to be missed! Extra lean ground beef helps to keep fat in check. And cheddar is a tasty change from the more typical trio of mozzarella, ricotta and parmesan. Super flexible so you can adapt it to what's in your pantry, and even give it a Tex-Mex twist!

A family-friendly, budget-friendly dish featuring tube-shaped noodles surrounded by meaty pasta sauce and melty cheese. With just a few common staples, it's an easy dinner on busy weeknights!

Stretchy cheese, al dente pasta, and your favorite pizza toppings make this pasta bake recipe a guaranteed winner! You can easily switch it up with your own favorite pizza toppings. Even better? It reheats well and can also be baked straight from frozen. And don't miss the tips for making it healthier, like doubling the veggies and choosing turkey pepperoni and whole wheat pasta.

An authentic recipe! Tiny meatballs (or optional meat sauce) and chunks of mozzarella cheese combine with a rich tomato sauce in this delicious, oven-baked meal. With lots of tips to make sure that yours turns out just as it would if you were actually in Italy!

Oh wow ... the indulgence here! If you love hamburgers, you’ve gotta try this pasta bake, featuring all the great flavors of a loaded bacon cheeseburger, but with the addition of pasta! Choose toppings like shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, pickles and avocado to add some veggies and pump up the already big, bold flavors!

Twirly, wavy egg noodles are the perfect shape to capture crumbles of ground beef and bits of a few mixed veggies, plus a drape of flavorful cheese! Use fresh or frozen veggies to easily adapt this baked pasta to what you happen to have on hand.

This is a classic recipe almost like Chef Boyardee ... but made with better-for-you ingredients you can actually pronounce! As an alternative to a baked pasta recipe, there are also directions to make this on the stovetop with a quick pop under the broiler to finish. Delicious either way!

Combining satisfying ground beef, country sausage, and perfectly cooked pasta ... with big Southwestern flavors (and nutrition!) from green chiles, canned white beans, tomatoes, and vibrant greens. So hearty ... such pure comfort food. Even more comforting? You can assemble the casserole earlier in the day or the day before, so dinnertime is stress-free!

What I thought you'd all love about this recipe is that it specifies how you can prepare it ahead for busy nights throughout the week – simply refrigerate this pasta bake until you’re ready to cook and serve. Freezing tips, too. So easy! Plus, a suggestion for adding in some healthy veggies to round out your casserole and bump up the nutrition factor!

This kid-approved, super-simple recipe features a creamy taco ground beef layer with noodles, topped with salsa and cheese. It'll definitely help you get a big dinner on the table easily and affordably! The ground beef mixture can even be made a day in advance for busy weeknights. And definitely check out the tips for selecting lighter meat and cream cheese options to keep this on the healthier side! Alternately, if you're looking for a gluten-free recipe, check out the version from Small Farm Big Life.

Sautéed ground beef, mushrooms, and onions in a gravy-like, creamy sauce atop a bed of egg noodles ... sound familiar? This hearty casserole has all the same components as classic beef stroganoff, but in a family-style pasta bake. It can conveniently be assembled up to 1 day ahead and reheats great from leftovers, too! For a lightened-up version, take a peek at this Ground Beef Stroganoff (which also cleverly uses the Instant Pot instead of your oven).

Are you thinking, "HEY NOW ... gnocchi is not actually pasta!"?!? Yeah, you're right – good catch! But most people use it in the same ways they use pasta. And just look at that pan of gorgeously baked beefy, cheesy joy ... how could I leave this one out of my list?!?

As an Ohio girl, I was thrilled to find this recipe idea to share with all of you – from another Ohio girl who's eaten this vintage, iconic dish lots of times over the years. A great name for a great recipe ... and be sure to read about the interesting history on this one!

This classic baked pasta recipe features a luscious meat sauce and tender rigatoni. A surprising dash of allspice and balsamic vinegar amp up the flavor of the delectable meat sauce. The post includes helpful tips for making the recipe low-fat, low-carb, or gluten-free, too!

If you love Mexican food ... and also adore food that freezes great and reheats well for leftovers, then try this simple yet delicious pasta bake! Full of Mexican flavors, especially if you top it off with goodies like diced tomatoes, sliced avocado, olives, or additional salsa.

This recipe has four layers of goodness that make it a yummy stand-out! It's also a great recipe for adding "hidden veggies." Sauté some onions, green bell pepper, mushrooms, or even finely diced carrots with the ground beef to up the nutrition in this dish. Freezes nicely in an airtight container for up to 3 months, too!

In this ingenious, old-fashioned recipe, spaghetti actually forms the pie's "crust" and is then topped with plenty of cheesy, saucy, melty joy. An ideal way to use up leftover spaghetti or beef sauce! Switch up the meats for a healthier profile, and try adding some veggies like zucchini, peppers, or grated carrot.

The addition of sun-dried tomatoes adds a unique depth of flavor to the sauce in this baked pasta. And with just 7 ingredients, this easy recipe will be prepped and in the oven in a flash!

This clever version has all the creaminess of a "typical" million dollar casserole, but it's healthier and lower in calories! It's also really simple to make. A scrumptious way to enjoy spaghetti in a different form ... and also a perfect recipe for using up leftover spaghetti noodles!

The recipe's author says, "This lasagna recipe will be the last one you’ll ever use. My Italian family’s recipe can now be yours; it’s classic, simple, and absolutely delicious!" A must-try!

Okay ... okay ... this baked "pasta" doesn't technically have any actual pasta in it, but its creator swears, "Does it affect the taste at all? Nope! I promise you that you won’t even notice that you are eating zucchini. And this is husband approved!" Lean ground beef and a light hand with the cheeses improve the nutritional profile, too ... yet there's still so much cheesy, creamy, gooey goodness! (For another health-ified option, try this Easy, Healthy Gluten Free Lasagna that adds fiber-rich canned beans and leverages just a little aged cheddar for big flavor without too much added fat.)

Adding a little bit of spicy nduja sausage gives this unique lasagna a kick. And kale gives it both a boost of nutrition and also a textural twist. All tucked underneath that alluringly golden brown, cheesy topping! It's a great meal prep dish if you're planning ahead for a busy week, too!

A no-fuss way to satisfy your craving for lasagna. Bake it after assembling, or freeze it for a no-brainer meal on a busy day! And be sure to check out the health-ification tips, like using whole grain pasta and part-skim cheeses.

These easy roll-ups are a simple way to make classic lasagna. This recipe cleverly uses cottage cheese (instead of whole-milk ricotta), which helps to lighten up the dish's fat and calorie count. But yeah ... look at all that gooey cheese you're still getting! This is a great make ahead, freezer-friendly recipe that's easily divided into individual portions for weekly meal prep.

Love lasagna ... but have a small family, and hate leftovers? This is baked in a loaf pan, so it makes only 4 slices. Lots of great make-ahead and freezing tips, too!

Thinking a little outside the box on this one, guys! Let your Instant Pot do most of the "baking" step for you ... and then fire up the oven for a little brown-and-bubbly treatment under the broiler.

This beautifully simple version skips the ricotta common in many baked ziti recipes, opting instead for fresh mozzarella to provide a similar creaminess. Take it to next-level perfection with an optional topping of fresh cherry tomatoes, tossed with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, fresh basil, and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese!

This pasta bake recipe showcases ziti pasta (or any similar pasta shape), mixed with lots of meat and veggies. The creaminess of the pasta layer has a nice, smooth richness against the tomato sauce and beef. But what I really love here are all the easy, healthy little tweaks and upgrades that keep things sensible but still satisfying and comforting. Gluten-free options, too. Such a smart recipe!

Loaded with four (yes ... 4!) types of cheese, but not too heavy thanks to leaner cottage cheese and part-skim ricotta (although the post suggests you can leave out some if you don't want quite so much cheesiness). This ziti casserole can be made in advance and also freezes well. And you can add in veggies to bulk it up and pump the nutrition. Lots of options here!

This incredibly filling meal is a great option for people who are sensitive to gluten and dairy. It features a tomato-based meat sauce, plus a creamy, dairy-free cauliflower sauce for the topping. There are plenty of variations you can try, like using Cashew Ricotta Cheese instead of the Creamy Cauliflower Sauce ... or even swapping certain ingredients to turn this right back into a more traditional recipe (if you're not gluten-free or dairy-free).

Instead of stirring your cooked, crumbled ground beef throughout your pasta bake, how about studding your casserole with yummy meatballs? This recipe includes directions for making your own homemade meatballs, but note that she mentions she likes to choose leaner meats. Alternately, she suggests that you can use store-bought, fresh or frozen meatballs (which can be a great time-savings and also allow you to choose leaner, healthier options for this ziti pasta casserole).