Description
Honeycomb pasta cake is a stunning baked rigatoni dish where pasta is stacked vertically, filled with creamy ricotta, and topped with marinara and melted cheese. This impressive recipe is perfect for dinner parties, holidays, or any time you want to wow your guests with minimal effort.
Ingredients
1 pound rigatoni pasta (uncooked)
1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
2 cups marinara sauce
Olive oil (for greasing pan)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 springform pan (9-inch)
Instructions
1. Boil rigatoni in salted water until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. In a bowl, mix ricotta, egg, half the mozzarella, parmesan, salt, and pepper.
3. Grease the springform pan with olive oil.
4. Stand each piece of rigatoni upright in the pan, tightly packed together.
5. Fill each pasta tube with the cheese mixture using a piping bag or spoon.
6. Pour marinara sauce evenly over the top of the pasta.
7. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top.
8. Gently press down with a spatula to settle the sauce and cheese.
9. Bake at 375°F for 30–40 minutes until golden and bubbling. Let rest before slicing.
Notes
For extra flavor, add cooked ground meat or sautéed vegetables to the filling.
You can assemble this dish ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking.
Add chili flakes or fresh herbs for a bolder twist.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 470
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 21g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: honeycomb pasta cake, rigatoni bake, pasta cake