Are you looking for a new family-friendly vegetarian recipe to shake-up your regular routine? With just 3 ingredients and about 5 minutes of prep, this Dump-and-Bake Wagon Wheel Pasta Casserole is an easy, healthy dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights. You don’t even have to boil the pasta before it goes in the oven!
My children love mini wagon wheel pasta so much that it’s one of those pantry staples I keep on hand at all times. Unfortunately, my little rural grocer doesn’t carry the stuff, so I either have to drive to “the big city” to find it, or I just place an order on Amazon. Thank goodness for mail order everything!
Of course, if you don’t have wagon wheels, but you want to prepare this pasta casserole tonight, you can easily substitute with elbow pasta. The elbow macaroni has the same cooking time as the mini wheels that I used here, so it’s another great option!
How to Make this Easy Pasta Casserole:
As I mentioned above, you’ll need just 3 main ingredients for this simple vegetarian pasta casserole: mini wheels pasta, grated mozzarella cheese, and marinara sauce.
And I’m not kidding when I say that it only takes about 5 minutes to stir this meal together!
First, combine the dry (uncooked) pasta, the marinara sauce, water, salt and a bit of fresh basil (if desired). That basil is optional, but gives the dish a nice, fresh burst of flavor!
Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and cover with foil.
How Long to Bake Pasta Casserole:
Bake the pasta casserole, covered, at 425 degrees F for 25 minutes.
At this point, the pasta should be almost done, but still just a little bit firm (“al dente”). Give the dish a stir, sprinkle the top with shredded cheese, and put the casserole back in the oven (NOT covered) for about 5-10 more minutes (or until cheese is melted and pasta is tender).
The wagon wheels absorb the liquid as they bake, resulting in a healthy pasta casserole bake that adults and kids can all agree on!
Can you freeze this pasta casserole?
Yes, you can! It’s not my first choice; however, because I worry that the texture of the pasta gets a bit compromised as it sits in the liquid. If you do choose to prep ahead and freeze the casserole, just know that the pasta might be a bit softer when it’s done baking.
I recommend freezing this dump-and-bake casserole before baking.
How to Bake a Frozen Pasta Casserole:
Thaw the casserole in the refrigerator overnight, bring to room temperature on the counter for about 20 minutes, and then bake according to the recipe instructions.
To bake a frozen casserole straight from the freezer, you will need to increase the baking time significantly. Start with baking the dish (covered) for 1 hour at 425 degrees F, but stir the casserole occasionally and check pasta for tenderness as it cooks. The final cooking time will vary slightly, depending on the type of dish that you are using.
COOK’S TIPS AND RECIPE VARIATIONS:
- This vegetarian pasta casserole obviously has no meat. Feel free, however, to add your favorite protein to the dish. Nice options include 1 lb. of cooked ground beef, ground turkey or ground chicken; 3-4 cups of cooked, diced chicken breast; or 1-2 cans of beans (drained and rinsed).
- Stir in some veggies! If your kids like peas, zucchini, or frozen broccoli, stir that into the dish as well! If you’re using a larger vegetable with a longer cooking time (like broccoli), you may want to steam the vegetables first before adding to the dish. For something small like frozen peas, you can just add them (still frozen) straight to the baking dish towards the end of the cooking time.
- Cooking for a smaller family? I like to cut the ingredients in half and prepare the casserole in an 8-inch square pan. You can also use the full amount of ingredients, but divide the mixture evenly between two 8-inch pans. Bake one now, and freeze the other casserole for a later date!
- Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese or chopped, fresh herbs, if desired.
Looking for even more dump-and-bake pasta casserole recipes? Try these:
- Dump-and-Bake Chicken Pot Pie Pasta
- Dump-and-Bake Chicken Alfredo Pasta Casserole
- 5-Ingredient Dump-and-Bake Beefaroni
- Dump-and-Bake Creamy Shrimp Pasta
- Chicken Pasta Casserole
- Pizza Casserole
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Dump-and-Bake Wagon Wheel Pasta Casserole
Equipment
- 9 x 13-Inch Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 1 (24-25 ounce) jar marinara sauce
- 3 cups water
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked mini wheels pasta (can substitute with elbow pasta or other small pasta with a cook time of about 7-8 mins)
- 2 cups (8 ounces) grated mozzarella cheese or Italian cheese blend
- Optional garnish: grated Parmesan cheese; chopped fresh parsley or basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- In the prepared dish (or in a separate bowl), whisk together the marinara sauce, water, Italian seasoning, and salt.
- Add the uncooked pasta and stir to combine, making sure most of the pasta is submerged in the liquid. Cover tightly with foil.
- Bake (covered) for 25 minutes. Remove dish from oven, take off cover, and give the pasta a stir. At this point it should be almost done, but still a bit firm ("al dente").
- Sprinkle the grated mozzarella cheese over the top of the casserole. Return the dish to the oven (uncovered) for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the pasta is tender.
- Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs, if desired. Let rest for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- The No-Boil Method: This is a true dump-and-bake recipe. The pasta cooks directly in the dish as it bakes, absorbing the liquid. Don’t skip the water or reduce the amount.
- Cover Tightly: The foil needs to create a good seal so steam stays trapped. This is what cooks the pasta evenly.
- Pasta Substitutions: Elbow macaroni works perfectly here. Other small pasta shapes with a 7-8 minute cook time will also work.
- Add Protein: Stir in 1 lb. cooked ground beef, turkey, or chicken, or add 3-4 cups diced cooked chicken or 1-2 cans of beans (drained) for a heartier dish.
- Add Veggies: Toss in frozen peas toward the end of baking, or stir in steamed broccoli or zucchini.
- Smaller Batch: Cut ingredients in half and use an 8-inch square pan. Or divide the full recipe between two 8-inch pans and freeze one for later.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
- Freezing: Freeze before baking for best results. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking, or bake from frozen at 425°F (covered) for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in February, 2014. It was updated in December, 2018.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.
So I’m pretty sure I was not supposed to stir the cheese in because it made it look soupy. But it tasted amazing still and we use dinosaur shaped noodles which my son loved even more. Ate it right up
Hey, Emily! You’re right — the cheese just stays on top, no stirring necessary! 🙂 But that’s okay — I’m glad that your son enjoyed it!
Do you have a link to your original wagon wheel pasta bake? My kids LOVE it but I see the recipe has changed to wagon wheel pasta dump. Please let me know!
Hey, Julie! Yep — the old version is here:
6 cups uncooked wagon wheel pasta (or other short shape pasta such as rotini or penne)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 lb. ground beef
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
4 cups marinara sauce
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Cook pasta for about 1-2 minutes less than called for on the package directions. You want it to be slightly under-cooked so that it doesn’t become mushy when you bake it in the oven later.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the eggs, salt, garlic, and pepper. Add beef and mix well. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs; mix gently.
Crumble beef mixture into a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the marinara sauce.
Drain pasta; place in a large bowl. Add beef mixture; sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Toss until pasta is well coated.
Pour pasta mixture into a 13×9-inch baking dish (or into two 8-inch square baking dishes). Top with remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until top browns and pasta is heated through.
Serve with additional Parmesan cheese on top, if desired.
THANK YOU!!!
You’re very welcome! 🙂
This was delicious and so easy! A definite make again in our house!
Awesome! Thanks, Crissy!
This casserole would work for me, too! Where do you have other recipes which do not require cooking rice or pasta ahead of time? Are they in the dump-and-bake section? I am so glad to know there are such recipes available. As a reluctant cook, I have never cared for cooking something on the stove AND the oven and now I just don’t have the energy or the kitchen space to do both. It really has to be either the stove OR the oven. Thank you!
Yes, you can find all of my dump-and-bake recipes here: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/category/dump-bake/ Enjoy!
Fantastic! I used beef ravioli (family preference), and topped with buttered panko breadcrumbs & fresh basil. Family loved it.
Thank you, Renee! We’re glad you were able to adjust it to suit your preferences.