This 4-ingredient oven cavatappi is the kind of weeknight dinner I lean on when I walk in the door at 5:30, everyone’s hungry, and I absolutely do not want to wash a sink full of dishes. You literally dump dry cavatappi into a glass baking dish, pour in a few pantry staples, and let the oven do the work. No boiling water, no fancy techniques—just cozy, cheesy pasta that tastes like you fussed way more than you did. It’s very much a Midwestern-style, pantry-friendly baked pasta: simple, comforting, and kid-approved.
Serve this cheesy oven cavatappi straight from the glass baking dish with a simple green salad (bagged salad totally counts) and garlic bread or buttered toast. A side of steamed or roasted veggies like broccoli, green beans, or carrots balances out the richness of the pasta. If you want to stretch the meal for a crowd, add a rotisserie chicken or sliced sausages on the side and finish with something light for dessert, like fresh fruit or store-bought cookies.
4-Ingredient Oven CavatappiServings: 4
Ingredients
2 cups dry cavatappi pasta
3 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 cup jarred pasta sauce (tomato-based)
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Grab a 9x13-inch glass baking dish—no need to grease it.
Pour the dry cavatappi pasta evenly into the bottom of the glass baking dish, spreading it into an even layer. This is your base.
In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the chicken broth and jarred pasta sauce until well combined. This liquid will cook the pasta right in the oven.
Slowly pour the broth-and-sauce mixture over the dry cavatappi in the glass dish, making sure all the pasta is moistened and mostly submerged. Gently press down any pasta that’s sitting way above the liquid.
Cover the glass baking dish tightly with aluminum foil, crimping the edges so steam can’t easily escape. This helps the pasta cook evenly and keeps it from drying out.
Bake the covered dish in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. At this point, carefully remove the foil (watch out for hot steam) and check a piece of pasta for doneness—it should be close to al dente but may still have a bit of bite.
Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top of the hot pasta. If the pasta still seems a little underdone or there’s more liquid than you’d like, don’t worry—the last bit of baking will finish the cooking and thicken the sauce.
Return the uncovered dish to the oven and bake for another 10–15 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted, bubbly, and starting to turn golden in spots and the pasta is tender to your liking.
Remove the glass baking dish from the oven and let the cavatappi rest for 5–10 minutes before serving. The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools, making it extra creamy and easier to scoop.
Taste and add a pinch of salt or black pepper at the table if you like, then serve the cheesy cavatappi straight from the dish. Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container and reheat thoroughly before eating.
Variations & Tips
You can easily tweak this 4-ingredient oven cavatappi to fit your family’s taste and what you have on hand. For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. If you like things extra cheesy, add another 1/2 cup of mozzarella or sprinkle 1/4 cup grated Parmesan on top during the last 5 minutes of baking. To boost the flavor without adding more ingredients, choose a well-seasoned pasta sauce (like garlic and herb) and a good-quality broth—this makes a big difference since they’re doing all the heavy lifting. If your family likes a thicker, less saucy bake, reduce the broth slightly (to about 2 1/2 cups) but be sure to check for doneness and add a splash more liquid if the pasta seems dry before it’s fully cooked. For a bit of texture, you can add a light sprinkle of breadcrumbs over the cheese, but keep in mind that this goes beyond the base 4-ingredient version. Food safety tips: Always use a glass baking dish that is oven-safe and not cold from the fridge when it goes into a hot oven to avoid thermal shock. Handle the hot dish and foil carefully—steam can cause burns when you remove the cover. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of baking, store for up to 3–4 days, and reheat until the pasta is steaming hot in the center before serving again.
