on Jan 25, 2023 There’s so many pasta recipe variations out there in terms of flavour combinations, shapes, etc, but not so many in terms of cooking techniques.  This Baked Pasta is different – it’s a no-boil, one-pan airfryer recipe for maximum convenience. Perfect for those busy mornings when prepping a tiffin or for lunch between meetings. This is one of those recipes that you’ll keep coming back to.  If you’re thinking … no boil? How does that work? Let me explain: we add water along with the sauce when baking and this cooks the pasta to perfection. You just have to try this!

This recipe calls for only 5-8 basic pantry ingredientsThere’s no prep work you have to do or an overwhelming list of stepsEverything comes together in one pan

Ingredients you’ll need for air fryer baked pasta

Ingredients:Melted Butter and Oil – a combination of both to make sure our pasta is super moistSeasonings – chili flakes, oregano, finely chopped garlic (the golden trio)Chopped Veggies – I used capsicum and mushroom but you can use any on hand! Raw Fusili Pasta – you can use any shape that conveniently fits into a baking dish, but NOTE that we will be using raw pasta for this recipe, so you don’t have to boil it beforehand. Also keep in mind that the baking time may change based on the shape of the pasta.Red Pasta Sauce – I use storebought tomato pasta sauce (my fave is: Barilla Pasta sauce) but you can use homemade tomato sauce tooWater – the KEY ingredient to this pasta bake! Since we are using raw pasta, we need to add water to the sauce to make sure the pasta is fully cooked through Grated Mozarella Cheese & Basil Leaves – for the final touch, a baked cheesy crust & herb topping Materials:Aluminium Foil – super important, and my top trick is to line the base of the baking dish with foil too so it’s secure and doesn’t blow off in the air fryer. We don’t want to burn or overcook our pasta, we want to cook it till it’s perfectly moistBaking Dish – make sure to use a size that fits inside your Air Fryer, I use a 7 inch round pan Air Fryer – I use the Nutricook 5.5L Air Fryer

Richa’s top tips to make the best air fryer baked pasta

Before baking, make sure that the pasta is fully submerged in the water sauce mixture.If the pasta feels dry after baking, add 2-3 tablespoons of water and mix through before baking again with the cheese topping.If you want to store the pasta for later, wrap the dish with cling film and refrigerate. When it’s time to serve, bring the dish back to room temperature and melt the cheese with a final bake.

How to make Air Fryer Baked Pasta

Here’s a step-by-step collage showing you how to make air fryer baked pasta:

  1. Add butter, oil, chilli flakes, oregano seasoning, garlic, capsicum, mushroom, raw pasta, red pasta sauce, salt, pepper and sugar to a 7-inch round pan and mix. Ensure the pan is Air Fryer friendly, I’ve used a glass pan.
  2. Add water and mix lightly. Ensure the pasta is submerged under the water.
  3. Wrap the pan with aluminium foil, and cover the base as well so it is more secure. Covering only the rim with foil might cause it to come off in the air fryer.
  4. Bake at 180C for 45 minutes. Uncover the foil, and mix well.
  5. If the pasta feels dry, add 2-3 tablespoons of water and mix. You can adjust it according to your preference!
  6. Sprinkle cheese and chopped basil on top and bake at 200C for 3-4 minutes or until the cheese melts. Serve immediately! If you want to store it for later, cover it with cling film and refrigerate. Bring it back to room temperature and melt the cheese right before serving. Once you try this technique of cooking pasta, you’ll come back to it again and again for sure. It’s just so convenient with no compromise on taste and texture. I’d love to see your recreations of this baked no-boil pasta, tag me if you make it! I’ll be posting more such quick and easy Air Fryer recipes – stay tuned  LOVE THIS RECIPE? Subscribe to my newsletter and be the first to receive all new recipes!

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