Red and White Pasta

Only four ingredients and 15 minutes prep time to make this delicious Red and White Pasta casserole. This kid-friendly dish is a great make-ahead dinner, can be frozen and is a great budget-friendly meal!

Serve this pasta casserole alongside this Italian salad, dinner rolls, and/or these roasted brussels sprouts.

At my wedding shower, guests were asked to bring a recipe card with their favorite recipe on it. I had so much fun cooking through the handwritten recipe cards throughout the first year of being married. One of my go-to recipes is this very recipe I’m sharing today from my friend Janae: Red and White Pasta. 

It’s ridiculously easy and a great filling meal (especially on our limited college budgets). And now that I have three hungry kiddos of my own, this is the best meal to make on a busy night. They love Red and White Pasta!

How to make Red and White Pasta

• Cook: Boil the pasta and drain. I like to cook it a minute less than the package says, since the pasta will also be baked. You don’t want mushy pasta, and this helps it to retain a “bite.”.
• Layer: Once the pasta is cooked, it’s time to layer the casserole, starting with a little marinara sauce. Next half the pasta goes in, half the Alfredo, half the marinara and half the cheese.
• Layer continued: Finish with the final layers–the rest of the pasta, rest of the Alfredo, rest of the marinara, and rest of the cheese.
• Bake: Cover with foil and bake until hot and bubbly.

Red and White Pasta variations

• The recipe card I received for Red and White Pasta included a chopped green bell pepper. The pepper is nice because it adds freshness and a pop of color. Dice and add it in layers right after the pasta.
• Add sautéed mushrooms, again, right after adding in the pasta. I’d sauté them in a little olive oil and season them with salt and pepper before adding.
• A few other veggie addition ideas include sautéed yellow onion, sautéed zucchini, and sautéed yellow squash.

Recipe variations, continued

• Switch up the pasta: Use farfalle, rotini, or ziti instead of penne. Or use a healthier pasta alternative such as chickpea cavatappi, veggie rotini, or lentil penne.
• Make homemade Alfredo sauce: While this will add quite a bit to the prep time, it makes the dish delicious and is a great alternative if you’re avoiding store-bought sauces!
• Similar to the above point, make homemade marinara sauce: Again, it will add to the prep time, but works well in this Red and White Pasta.

Adding protein

This is a tasty, filling meal that happens to be vegetarian. If you want to add some protein, I’d recommend a side of grilled chicken. Or adding some thinly sliced/shredded rotisserie chicken to the casserole. If preparing chicken, I recommend using this grilled chicken marinade–, it’s a reader favorite recipe!

Store-bought sauces

Not sure what sauces to use? Here’s a list of the top store-bought Alfredo sauces and top store-bought marinara sauces. Personally, Rao’s® marinara and Bertolli ® Alfredo are my favorites in Red and White Pasta.

Red and White Pasta quick tips

• Use freshly grated mozzarella: Bot only is it more cost-effective, but it melts much better. Pre-grated cheese has a cellulose coating to keep it from clumping together. 
• Cook the pasta a minute shy of al dente and drain it well: We don’t want mushy or watery pasta! I let it sit in the colander for a few minutes to ensure it’s thoroughly dry.
• Completely cover the pasta noodles: Aim to cover all the pasta with the sauces so you don’t end up with hard, overcooked edges.
• Add fresh herbs: Totally optional, but a little sprinkle of chopped parsley or basil adds a nice freshness.

More easy dinner recipes

• Bruschetta Pasta vegetarian
• Honey Lime Chicken
• Chicken Divan
• Shrimp Tacos reader favorite
• Philly Cheesesteak Pasta

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4.62 from 13 votes

Red and White Pasta

By Chelsea Lords

Just four ingredients and 15 minutes of prep make this kid-friendly red and white pasta casserole a winner. Perfect for make-ahead, freezer-friendly, and easy on the budget!

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Equipment

• Baking dish 9 x 13-inch, glass or ceramic
• Aluminum foil

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 (16-ounce) box penne pasta
• ▢ 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
• ▢ 1 (16-ounce) jar roasted garlic Alfredo sauce
• ▢ 2-1/4 cups freshly shredded Mozzarella Cheese an 8-ounce block
• ▢ Chopped fresh parsley optional

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 375℉. Cook pasta according to package directions, cooking for 1 minute less than the package says. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
• In a 9×13 glass or ceramic baking dish, spread 1/2 cup of marinara sauce on bottom. Pour half the cooked pasta on top. Pour half the alfredo sauce, half the marinara sauce and 1 cup of cheese evenly over pasta. Repeat layers: remaining pasta, remaining alfredo sauce, remaining marinara, and remaining cheese.
• Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Enjoy right out of the oven! Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Let leftovers cool, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight (if frozen), then microwave or bake until warmed through.

Nutrition

Calories: 127kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 265mg | Potassium: 32mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 284IU | Calcium: 212mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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