Five Cheese Marinara Recipe

This is a straightforward homemade version of Olive Garden Five Cheese Marinara — thick, tangy tomato sauce meets a melty mix of dreamy cheeses. Perfect for lazy weeknights, picky eaters, or when you just wanna drown some pasta in something cozy and cheesy.

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Quick Summary

Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Flavor: creamy, tomato-rich, cheesy (duh)
Great for: pasta night, emotional resets, low-effort comfort meals

Why I Like This Recipe

Not gonna lie, this started as a “what can I make with half a bag of rigatoni and some shredded cheese” situation. Didn’t expect it to turn into one of my go-tos. It’s fast, it’s rich, it’s got that stretchy cheese pull if you bake it right. Honestly? You could pour this on cardboard and it’d still slap.

Ingredients

8 oz rigatoni (or whatever pasta you got)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
½ cup diced onion
2 tsp Italian seasoning
28 oz canned diced tomatoes
½ tsp salt
¼ cup mozzarella, shredded
¼ cup parmesan, shredded or grated
¼ cup asiago, shredded
¼ cup ricotta
¼ cup romano, shredded or grated
OR 1¼ cup Italian cheese blend (if you’re lazy or thrifty — no judgment)

How To Make Five Cheese Marinara

Start the sauce: Heat olive oil in a pan, toss in onions. Sauté like 3 mins. Add garlic, stir it around. Smells amazing already.
Tomatoes + seasoning: Dump in the diced tomatoes, Italian herbs, and salt. Stir. Simmer. Cover and let it bubble low for 20 mins — don’t rush it.
Boil pasta: While the sauce simmers, cook the rigatoni. Salt your water. Don’t forget about it (like I did once). Drain and set aside.
Add cheese: After 20 mins, stir in all five cheeses — or just use the Italian blend. Stir till melty. It’ll look weird at first. That’s okay.
Blend it: Pour sauce into a blender or use an immersion blender — smooth it out. If you skip this, the cheese clumps. Ask me how I know.
Serve it: Toss over pasta, top with more cheese if you’re extra, and boom. Dinner.
Make it “al forno”: Toss it all in a baking dish, top with mozzarella, bake at 350°F for 10 mins till bubbly. It’s like pasta lasagna heaven.

Tips for Success

Blend the sauce — or you’ll get cheesy blobs.
Simmer it long enough. The tomatoes need that softening time.
Don’t panic if your cheese clumps before blending — totally normal.
Add red pepper flakes if you like a little heat.
Make it gluten-free with baked potato instead of pasta. Surprisingly amazing.

Storage and Reheating

Fridge: Store sauce in airtight container up to 4 days. Pasta gets a lil’ mushy after that.
Freezer: Sauce only! Freeze flat in a bag. Reheat gently — low heat or microwave in short bursts.
Reheat: Microwave is fine for leftovers. Oven’s better if you baked it.

FAQs

Can I use just 2 or 3 cheeses?

Totally. Just double up on what you’ve got. It’s flexible.

No blender — what now?

Mash it with a spoon or potato masher. Texture will be chunky but still delish.

What pasta works best?

Rigatoni’s my fave for sauce cling. Ziti or penne works too.

Is this spicy?

Nope. But add crushed red pepper if you’re feelin’ it.

Can I make this ahead?

Yes. Make the sauce, store it, then reheat and add to fresh pasta.

Common Mistakes and How to Dodge Them

Not blending the sauce → the cheese won’t mix right. It’ll clump. Blend it.
Rushing the simmer → 10 mins ain’t enough. Let those tomatoes soften up.
Skipping salt in pasta water → bland pasta ruins everything.
Using pre-shredded cheese → has anti-caking agents. Melt doesn’t hit the same.
Overcooking pasta before baking → it keeps cooking in the oven. Leave it a little firm.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving – 1 cup)

Calories: 272 kcal
Total Fat: 9 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Cholesterol: 19 mg
Sodium: 607 mg
Potassium: 389 mg
Carbohydrates: 36 g
Fiber: 3 g
Sugars: 5 g
Protein: 13 g