Bolognese is a type of ragú - a rich, thick tomato and meat based sauce.

How long to bake pasta?

Time needed to bake a pasta casserole depends entirely on the recipe. This Bolognese pasta bake takes 40 to 50 minutes; I have other casseroles that take only 20 to 30 minutes. I general, the thicker the sauce and the denser the ingredient mixture, the longer it will take to heat through and become bubbly.

Do you cook pasta before baking?

I always precook pasta before adding it to a casserole - with the exception of lasagne, where I use oven-ready noodles. The key is to slightly under cook the pasta, so it doesn't become soft or soggy when baked.

Farfalle Bolognese Pasta Bake Recipe | A Well-Seasoned Kitchen®

Ingredients

Scale

Bolognese Sauce

1/2 pound bulk Italian pork sausage
1 pound lean ground beef
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 can (15 ounce) tomato sauce
1 can (6 ounce) tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup water
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon savory

Pasta Casserole

8 to 10 ounces dried farfalle (bow tie) pasta
2 packages (10 ounce) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 cups sour cream
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

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Instructions

Bolognese Sauce

Crumble sausage and ground beef in a large nonstick skillet and cook over medium-high heat until meat is no longer pink, stirring and breaking up meat into small pieces.
Add onion and garlic and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until onion is soft.
Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, red wine, water, and seasonings (rosemary through savory). Bring to a boil; immediately reduce to low and simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

PAsta Casserole

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cook pasta according to package directions, reducing cook time by 2 minutes (it will still be somewhat firm). Drain.
Mix cooked pasta with Bolognese sauce.
Spread half of pasta-Bolognese mixture over the bottom of a 2 1/2 to 3-quart casserole dish.
In a medium bowl, mix together spinach and sour cream. Dot half on top of pasta-Bolognese mixture; using spoon, spread spinach mixture to make an even layer.
Sprinkle with half of the cheese.
Repeat the layers, ending with the remaining cheese.
Bake, uncovered, for 40 to 50 minutes or until heated through and lightly browned on top.

Notes

Make ahead: Can be prepared but not baked up to 24 hours in advance, covered and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before baking. Can also be well-wrapped and frozen, either baked or unbaked. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Author: From "A Well-Seasoned Kitchen" by Sally Clayton and Lee Clayton Roper
Category: pasta, beef, make ahead, easy entertaining
Method: Bake
Cuisine: Italian