Easy Vegetable Pasta Bake
- PREP 5min
- COOK 25min
- TOTAL 30min
This vegetable pasta bake recipe makes a great weeknight dinner, loaded with fresh vegetables, sauce, and cheese. My family loves this vegetable baked pasta so much, and I think yours will, too!
The vegetables you use can be adapted based on seasonality. Check our article above for more suggestions.
You Will Need
1 pound dried pasta like rigatoni, penne, or ziti (450g)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Half a medium onion, thinly sliced, about 6 ounces
2 small bell peppers, thinly sliced, about 8 ounces
8 ounces mushrooms, 1 ¼ cups sliced
½ teaspoon fennel seeds or ground fennel, see notes
3 cups homemade pasta sauce, or use 1 (28-ounce) jar of store-bought sauce
Handful of fresh basil leaves, torn or coarsely chopped
6 tablespoons ricotta cheese (90g)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (226g)
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Directions
1Heat oven and prepare pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). If you have an oven-safe deep skillet, you can use it to cook the veggies on the stove and bake the pasta. If not, prepare a 3-quart baking dish by lightly greasing it with olive oil.
2Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta. Check the package for the recommended cooking time, but cook the pasta two minutes less than the recommended time (it will continue to cook in the oven). Before draining the pasta, reserve ½ cup of the pasta water.
3Prepare mushrooms: Using a damp paper towel, brush off dirt from the mushrooms. Cut away and discard any hard stems. Chop into ¼-inch slices or, if the mushrooms are larger, like portobello, cut into ¼-inch cubes.
4Cook veggies: Heat a wide oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, then add the mushrooms in one layer, and cook until browned on one side for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir, then add the onions and peppers. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until the veggies are softened and have developed some browned edges. Season to taste with salt and black pepper (I usually add ¼ teaspoon of each).
5Make the sauce: Stir the fennel, pasta sauce, and basil into the vegetables.
6Add the pasta: If your skillet is large enough, toss in the drained pasta. If the mixture seems dry, add a splash of the reserved pasta water. Combine the sauce and pasta in a bowl if the skillet is too small. Adjust with pasta water, and then add to a baking dish.
7Finish and bake: Taste the pasta and adjust with more salt and pepper. Tuck spoonfuls of ricotta around the pasta and vegetables, then top with the mozzarella cheese. Bake the pasta, uncovered, until the cheese melts and is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: This baked pasta freezes well. Let it cool completely on a rack before freezing, then wrap it well with foil (we use two layers). Defrost the frozen pasta overnight in the refrigerator and then bake at 400°F for about 1 hour. (I prefer baking and freezing the pasta instead of freezing uncooked pasta dishes.)
- Make Ahead: Assemble, add a layer of parchment paper, and then cover with foil to prevent the foil from reacting with the tomato sauce. Refrigerate up to 2 days.
- Fennel seeds: These add a light licorice flavor to the pasta. I use whole fennel seeds, but crack them open using a mortar and pestle or the bottom of a heavy can.
- Vegan pasta bake: Leave the cheese out, and stir 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast into the sauce.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.