33 Gooey, Cheesy Pasta Recipes

We don't discriminate: Perfectly cooked pasta, no matter the variety, becomes the ultimate comfort food when drenched in a variety of cheeses.

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Pasta Al Forno: Oven-Baked Pasta

Pasta al forno translates simply to "oven-baked pasta," but the ingredients included are as varied as the imaginations of their recipe creators. This dish is satisfyingly salty thanks to olives and sun-dried tomatoes lurking beneath the thick mozzarella topping.

Get the Recipe: Pasta Al Forno: Oven Baked Pasta

Turkey-and-Artichoke-Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce

The simple shells of your youth receive an adult update when stuffed with ground turkey, frozen artichokes and basil. Use jarred marinara to speed up the spicy arrabbiata sauce that's ladled over top.

Get the Recipe: Turkey and Artichoke Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce

Portobello Mushroom Lasagna

Meaty portobello mushrooms stand in for meat sauce in Ina's lasagna. Replacing ricotta and mozzarella with a creamy bechamel sauce helps make this dish decadent, yet not super heavy.

Get the Recipe: Portobello Mushroom Lasagna

Penne ai Quattro Formaggi (Mac 'n' Cheese)

Debi and Gabriele give mac and cheese an Italian identity by baking mezze pasta (similar to penne, but shorter) with a mixture of pungent cheeses like Taleggio and Gorgonzola in 6-ounce ramekins.

Get the Recipe: Penne ai Quattro Formaggi (Mac 'n' Cheese)

Spaghetti al Limone: Spaghetti with Lemon Sauce

The bright freshness of lemon cuts through the cup of Parmesan cheese in David Rocco's simple dish.

Get the Recipe: Spaghetti al Limone: Spaghetti with Lemon Sauce

Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs

Tender, twisty orecchiette noodles are the perfect pasta vehicle for simple chicken meatballs, simmered tomatoes, globs of mozzarella and a sprinkling of basil. Who needs sauce?

Get the Recipe: Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs

Lazy Man's Lasagna

Despite its name, this lasagna is hardly an endeavor for the lazy –– it'll take you four hours to make. But you can be assured that David Rocco's authentic Italian recipe will result in the best bechamel- and Bolognese-layered pasta dish you've ever tasted.

Get the Recipe: Lazy Man's Lasagna

Chicken Carbonara

Giada turns carbonara pasta into a filling meal by adding shredded roasted chicken and chopped walnuts to the indulgent eggy, bacon-y dish.

Get the Recipe: Chicken Carbonara

Italian-Baked Chicken and Pastina

Amp up cubed chicken breast by combining it with bite-size pasta, diced tomatoes and mozzarella in a baking dish. A final sprinkling of Parmesan and parsley ready this easy one-pot dish for family-style service.

Get the Recipe: Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina

Italian Sausage, Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni

Kelsey rolls homemade sheets of pasta to make these cannelloni, which are stuffed with a sweet Italian sausage and ricotta filling, then slathered in her simple red sauce.

Get the Recipe: Italian Sausage, Spinach, and Ricotta Cannelloni

Pasta alla Norma "Nuda"

This nuda (or "naked") take on pasta alla norma (an Italian dish rumored to be named after a Sicilian opera) calls for eggplant to be grilled, not pan-fried, and topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese instead of the traditional ricotta salata.

Get the Recipe: Pasta alla Norma "Nuda"

The Ultimate Lasagna

Tyler Florence's ultimate lasagna has its name for a reason. The towering layers, the red-wine-spiked, slightly creamy tomato sauce (filled with hearty beef and sausage), plenty of cheesy goodness and, of course, pasta ... all of it will make you melt.

Get the Recipe: The Ultimate Lasagna

Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

Loaded with fresh veggies and Italian herbs, this pasta dish is as filling and nutritious as it is colorful. But it's the three-cheese combination — fontina, Parmesan and smoked mozzarella — that gives this dish its complex, varied flavors.

Get the Recipe: Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

Beef and Cheese Manicotti

Simpler than lasagna but equally enthralling with its layers of beef, three cheeses and dense noodles, this manicotti serves six in less than an hour of combined prep and cooking time.

Get the Recipe: Beef and Cheese Manicotti

Grilled Chicken Caesar Mac

Why settle on one comforting dish when you can eat both at once? Here, Rachael amps up standard mac and cheese by adding grilled chicken Caesar salad ingredients — pecorino cheese and the creamy dressing — to noodles before baking.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Chicken Caesar Mac

Roasted Tomato Penne alla Vodka

Mascarpone cheese adds creaminess to Rachael's vodka sauce and helps it cling to the ridges of penne rigate.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Tomato Penne alla Vodka

Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin Mac 'n' Cheese

Whether you're attempting to sneak greens into your children's meals or you're digging the cauliflower craze, this cruciferous veggie-filled mac is a heartier take on the cheddar-topped pasta.

Get the Recipe: Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin Mac n Cheese

Gnudi All' Acqua Al 2: Naked Ravioli

If you're not familiar with gnudi, we have a secret for you: These naked ravioli are not actually pasta at all. The balls of ricotta are mixed with a small amount of flour and optional ingredients (here, spinach and garlic), then baked to form tender cheese balls that bear a resemblance to gnocchi.

Get the Recipe: Gnudi All' Acqua Al 2: Naked Ravioli

Macaroni and Cheese

Though this looks like your standard bowl of macaroni and cheese, Tyler tucks aromatic thyme, bay leaves, garlic and dry mustard into the creamy cheddar and Parmesan sauce, giving this kid-friendly dish very adult flavor.

Get the Recipe: Macaroni and Cheese

Lasagna Rolls

Prepare your lasagna in noodle-form like Giada suggests to save the time that layering a typical lasagna requires. Each roll contains four layers of noodles surrounding a spinach, cheese and prosciutto mixture.

Get the Recipe: Lasagna Rolls

Roasted Squash Chili Mac

Rachael packs characteristic chili spice into gooey mac and cheese. Add roasted butternut squash for a rich balance of flavors.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Squash Chili Mac

Orecchiette Pasta with Ricotta and Cherry Tomatoes

This simple pasta dish calls for only four ingredients and can be prepped in less than 20 minutes. Ricotta cheese and cherry tomatoes form a delicate "sauce" that evenly coats the orecchiette noodles.

Get the Recipe: Orecchiette con Ricotta e Pomodorini: Orecchiette Pasta with Ricotta and Cherry Tomatoes

Lobster Macaroni and Cheese

Layered with tender chunks of tail meat, this cayenne-spiced mac is a luxurious take on the homey pasta dish. Sharp white cheddar and heavy cream create a silky-smooth sauce, which is balanced by acidic white wine and tomato paste.

Get the Recipe: Lobster Macaroni and Cheese

Penne with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

Blend sweet, salty sun-dried tomatoes with basil, garlic and oil to form the sauce — a lighter cheese- and nut-free pesto sauce — for this simple pasta. Top with grated Parmesan to your liking.

Get the Recipe: Penne with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

Mac and Cheese Carbonara

Bobby Flay sources five different cheeses for this hybrid pasta dish, including the Parmigiano-Reggiano that traditionally accompanies carbonara. Mac and cheese + savory cubes of pancetta = the best of two comfort foods, combined.

Get the Recipe: Mac and Cheese Carbonara

Pasta al Burro con Formaggino: Pasta with Butter and Cheese

Let the flavor of fresh pasta shine through by coating it simply with butter and a measured amount of Italian cheeses.

Get the Recipe: Pasta al Burro con Formaggino: Pasta with Butter and Cheese

Strozzapreti

Make this long, spindly pasta from scratch for a fresh Italian meal in little more than 30 minutes. David Rocco walks you through the dough creation and covers the boiled noodles with a simple herb-and-cheese sauce.

Get the Recipe: Strozzapreti

Green Pastitsio

Rachael adds chard to this Greek version of macaroni and cheese; it's traditionally made with a creamy bechamel sauce, feta cheese, fresh dill and mint.

Get the Recipe: Green Pastitsio

Fettuccine with Yellow Squash and Parmesan-Lemon Cream Sauce

Kelsey shows you how by making your own pasta you can customize the flavor –– and color –– of your noodles. Here, she combines spinach noodles with a lemon and Parmesan sauce as bright as the yellow squash sprinkled throughout.

Get the Recipe: Fettuccine with Yellow Squash and Parmesan-Lemon Cream Sauce

Make-Ahead Lasagna

Making this lasagna the day before allows the subtle sweetness of the simple homemade marinara to develop. When ready for a quick meal, pop it into the oven until bubbling.

Get the Recipe: Make-Ahead Lasagna

Dirty Carbonara

Nadia G's carbonara recipe is heftier than the norm, with thick, twisty fusili pasta, and is dotted by the traditional cubes of bacon and parsley.

Get the Recipe: Dirty Carbonara

Spinach and Artichoke Baked Whole Grain Pasta

Rachael Ray's baked pasta –– a dinner-sized take on everyone's favorite appetizer dip –– is loaded with artichoke hearts and smothered in melty gruyere cheese.

Get the Recipe: Spinach and Artichoke Baked Whole Grain Pasta

Pasta Al Forno

On Eat the Street, Chuck visits New York Italian restaurant Zero Otto Novo, where he discovers this unique oven-baked pasta dish, filled with meatballs, sopressata, hard-boiled eggs, and, of course, plenty of cheese.

Get the Recipe: Pasta Al Forno