Baked Four-Cheese Italian Pasta with Herb Breadcrumb Topping

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-29 · Updated 2026-07-29

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A comforting baked pasta dish layered with four Italian cheeses and finished with a crisp herb breadcrumb crust. This Italian-inspired pasta recipe, ready in about 50 minutes, pairs penne pasta, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 35 min Serves 6 Italian cuisine 480 cal/serving

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Ingredients

12 oz penne pasta
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese
3 cloves minced garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup whole milk

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Instructions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add 12 oz penne pasta and cook for 9 minutes until al dente, then drain.
Step 2: In a large bowl, combine 1 cup ricotta cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, 3/4 cup grated Parmesan, 1/2 cup shredded fontina, 1 cup whole milk, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil. Stir in the cooked penne pasta until fully coated.
Step 3: Transfer the pasta mixture to a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. In a small bowl, mix 1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs with 2 tbsp olive oil until evenly coated. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the pasta.
Step 4: Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and the breadcrumb topping is golden brown and crisp. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.