Cheesecake Factory Four Cheese Pasta (Copycat)
Yes! You can make Cheesecake Factory four cheese pasta at home! This homemade version is simple to make with simple ingredients that you can easily find in the grocery store. This is one of those recipes that’s a delicious meal for busy weeknights.
If you love east pasta recipes for dinner, try my sloppy joe casserole, baked ziti and creamy beef and shells next for family favorites every loves!
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If you love Cheesecake Factory copycat recipes, you’re going to love this one! Creamy pasta with four different kinds of cheeses. With little prep time, I’ve added this one to our regular rotation!
Our family loves this pasta bake recipe. You can easily change up the noodles and even the cheeses. I always try to keep a container of Ricotta cheese on hand for when the kids ask for this Cheesecake Factory copycat recipe! It reheat well too for leftovers (if there are any!).
Looking for more quick and easy weeknight pasta dinners? Try my Cheesy Taco Pasta Bake and my Mexican Lasagna (with noodles) and this cheesy Taco Spaghetti recipe.
If you love copycat recipes, try my Giant Cheese Stuffed Shells Recipe next! It’s an Olive Garden copycat recipe and one of our faves!
Ingredients
Head over to the cheese section in the grocery store and pick up the four cheeses. You’ll need:
- Parmesan Cheese – fresh Parmesan cheese is ideal for the best flavor.
- Mozzarella Cheese – fresh mozzarella that you grate yourself will give you the best results. Any of the best cheese for melting could work in this recipe, but mozzarella is best!
- Fresh Mozzarella balls – I buy the larger ones and cut them into quarters. Ovoline balls or any type of mozzarella pearls.
- Ricotta Cheese
- Eggs– you will be using eggs in the Ricotta cheese mixture.
- Garlic powder – you can also use two cloves of fresh garlic and simmer it in the marinara sauce when you’re heating it up.
- Marinara Sauce – buy your favorite pasta sauce and that will do just fine!
- Fresh Basil – if you don’t have any growing at home, you can usually find this in small packages in the produce section in the grocery store.
- Penne pasta – use your favorite pasta shape for this recipe. Typically it would be penne, or you can use fusilli, rotini, rigatoni.
If you love sharp cheddar cheese, you can also add up to 1/2 cup to the top with the Parmesan!
How to Make 4 Cheese Pasta – Step by Step Instructions
This recipe comes together in less than 1 hour. The key to this recipe is that you’ll want to have everything hot before putting it into the oven.
Start by preheating the oven to 350°F and grease an 11×8-inch (3.5 Qt.) baking dish.
Having all of the ingredients pre-measured and the cheese shredded will speed up the recipe and makes things easier.
COOK THE PASTA
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook penne according to package directions until al dente .Drain.
HEAT THE MARINARA SAUCE
(While pasta is cooking) In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the marinara sauce over medium-low heat. You will want it nice and hot when you add it to the mixture later.
PREPARE THE RICOTTA MIXTURE
In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella, eggs, fresh basil, garlic powder and pepper. Stir until well combined.
Add the cooked pasta and heated marinara sauce to the ricotta mixture. Stir until pasta is thoroughly coated with the creamy sauce.
Next, transfer the pasta mixture to the greased baking dish. Spread quartered mozzarella balls evenly over top of pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake, covered in 350°F oven for 25 minutes.
Remove foil and place under broiler for 3 to 5 minutes until cheese is bubbly.
Garnish: In a small bowl, combine 3 Tablespoons ricotta cheese and 2 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Divide evenly among four individual servings and top with freshly chopped basil.
How to serve: Serve with French bread or cheesy garlic bread along with a side salad or steamed vegetables such as green beans.
This easy pasta bake is also delicious served with sautéed chicken breast, sliced and place over top of the pasta.
Storage: Store in airtight container for up to four days. Reheat in microwave until warm throughout.
Cheesecake Factory Four Cheese Pasta (Copycat)
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 servings
Description
This four cheese pasta recipe is delicious! The best thing is that it’s so easy to make with just a few easy steps. The pasta is cooked and drained and that, along with the warmed marinara sauce is added to the ricotta mixture. A quick topping of mozzarella balls and freshly grated Parmesan cheese and into the oven it goes.
Enjoy this Cheesecake Factory copycat recipe from your own kitchen!
Ingredients
225 g/ 8 ounces Penne pasta
1 jar 650mL/ 21 to 24 ounces Marinara Sauce
1 cup Ricotta
2 and 1/4 cups Mozarella, grated
2 Eggs
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground
4 Fresh mozzarella balls, cut into quarters
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Garnish
2 Tablespoons ricotta cheese
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil, chopped
Salt (optional to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 11×8-inch (3.5 Quart)baking dish.
- In a large pot of boiling, lightly salted water, cook Penne pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain.
- Meanwhile, while pasta is cooking, heat marinara sauce in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella, eggs, fresh basil, garlic powder and pepper. Stir until well combined.
- Add hot pasta and the heated marina sauce to the ricotta mixture. Stir until pasta is thoroughly coated with the creamy sauce.
- Transfer pasta mixture to greased 11×8-inch (3.5 Quart) baking dish. Place quartered mozzarella balls evenly over top of pasta. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake, covered in 350°F oven for 25 minutes.
- Remove foil and place under broiler for 3 to 5 minutes until cheese is bubbly.
- Garnish: In a small bowl, combine 3 Tablespoons ricotta cheese and 2 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Divide evenly among four individual servings and top with freshly chopped basil.
Notes
Storage: Store in airtight container for up to four days. Reheat in microwave until warm throughout.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner Recipes
- Method: Oven Baked, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian, American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 generous helping
- Calories: 743
- Sugar: 8.1 g
- Sodium: 2361.2 mg
- Fat: 17.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 9.8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 63.6 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 82.2 g
- Cholesterol: 173 mg
Amazing to have one of our favourite Cheesecake Factory pasta dishes at home! Love it thanks so much!!
This copy cat cheese pasta tastes even better than Cheesecake Factory. Yummy.
Thanks so much Nancy! That’s great to hear 🙂
I made this pasta for dinner last night and my whole family devoured it! It was absolutely delicious- thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
Yay!!! That’s terrific! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
This pasta was delicious! I had to fight my family for it and there were no leftovers! Thanks for this awesome recipe!
Loved this recipe!
Awesome!! Thrilled to hear that! Thanks for trying out the recipe and I really appreciate your feedback!!
The flavor was outstanding! The whole family loved it!
Added some diced sausage and it was amazing together!
THIS IS SO AMAZING!! Omfg. Thank you. THIS is the recipe!! I followed some other bloggers first who had more reviews and it was SO bad. I am so glad I tried this one next, knew I should’ve done it first (sorry lol). I am printing this and remaking! ESP bc they charge $24.50 for this now at the Cheesecake Factory lol. Thank you thank you!
Nicole, thank you SO much for that flowing review and I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed it! We love make this easy dinner at home too! 🙂 Sandra