Name: Hot Honey Pepperoni Pasta Bake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 12 oz rigatoni or penne pasta; 1 tbsp olive oil; 4 oz sliced pepperoni (divided); 4 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tsp red pepper flakes (adjust to taste); 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp dried basil; 24 oz marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade); 1/2 cup heavy cream; 1.5 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella (divided); 1/2 cup grated parmesan; 3 tbsp hot honey (plus more for drizzling at the end); 1/2 tsp kosher salt (or to taste); 1/4 tsp black pepper

Jump to Recipe

This dish was born on a Friday night when I had half a bag of rigatoni, a pack of pepperoni, and absolutely no motivation to do anything complicated. What came out of the oven was so good that my husband asked me to make it again the very next weekend.

The hot honey is the thing that takes it from a basic pasta bake to something you actually crave. That sweet, slow burn over melty mozzarella and salty crisped pepperoni is a combination worth keeping in your back pocket.

A bubbly, cheesy pasta bake with crispy pepperoni and a sweet heat drizzle that makes everyone go back for seconds.

4.6 (70 reviews)

Prep15 min

Cook30 min

Total45 min

Serves4 servings

LevelEasy

Ingredients

12 oz rigatoni or penne pasta
1 tbsp olive oil
4 oz sliced pepperoni , divided
4 cloves garlic , minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes , adjust to taste
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
24 oz marinara sauce , store-bought or homemade
1/2 cup heavy cream
1.5 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella , divided
1/2 cup grated parmesan
3 tbsp hot honey , plus more for drizzling at the end
1/2 tsp kosher salt , or to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the package directions. You want it firmly al dente since it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain and set aside.

While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add about two-thirds of the pepperoni slices and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until they start to crisp up and curl at the edges. Remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.

Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the same pan and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the marinara sauce and heavy cream, then stir in the oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Let the sauce simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until it thickens slightly.

Remove the pan from heat. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss well to coat everything evenly. Stir in half the mozzarella and the parmesan, then drizzle in the 3 tablespoons of hot honey and give it one more good stir.

Transfer the pasta mixture to a greased 9x13 baking dish if your pan is not oven-safe. Scatter the remaining mozzarella over the top, then lay the reserved crispy pepperoni and the remaining raw pepperoni slices across the surface.

Bake uncovered for 18 to 22 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and starting to turn golden at the edges. The pepperoni on top should be deeply crisped.

Pull it out of the oven and immediately drizzle a generous amount of hot honey over the top. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving so the sauce settles and you do not burn your mouth on the first bite.

Tips & Notes

Do not skip undercooking the pasta before baking. Fully cooked pasta will turn mushy in the oven and no amount of hot honey will save it.
If you can not find hot honey at the store, make your own by warming regular honey in a small saucepan with a pinch of cayenne and a few red pepper flakes for a couple of minutes.
For extra crispy cheese, switch the oven to broil for the last 2 to 3 minutes and keep a close eye on it.
A sprinkle of fresh basil right before serving adds a nice freshness that cuts through the richness of the cheese and sauce.
Whole milk mozzarella melts beautifully here but tends to release more water. Low-moisture mozzarella gives you that golden, stretchy top without making the bake watery.

Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F covered with foil until warmed through, or microwave individual portions with a splash of water to keep the pasta from drying out. A fresh drizzle of hot honey after reheating brings it right back to life.

Nutrition per serving · estimated

680 Cal

32g Fat

72g Carbs

28g Protein

4g Fiber

12g Sugar

1240mg Sodium

Why Hot Honey Belongs on Pasta

Hot honey has been living on my cheese boards and pizza for years, but putting it in a pasta bake felt like a revelation. The sweetness rounds out the acidity of the marinara while the heat builds slowly in the back of your throat in the best possible way.

The drizzle you do at the very end is just as important as the one baked in. The heat of the freshly baked pasta warms the honey just enough to make it runny and aromatic without cooking off that floral sweetness. Do not skip that final drizzle.

Making It Your Own

This recipe is forgiving and flexible. Swap the rigatoni for ziti, rotini, or even cavatappi and it works just as well. If pepperoni is not your thing, sliced Italian sausage or even crumbled spicy salami are great alternatives.

You can also dial the heat up or down depending on who you are feeding. For a crowd that does not love spice, reduce the red pepper flakes and use a mild hot honey. For the heat seekers, add a few extra shakes of chili flakes into the sauce and do not hold back on that final drizzle.

Hot Honey Pepperoni Pasta Bake