Vegetable Pasta Bake
This One Pan Vegetable Pasta Bake is filled with mushrooms, spinach, and melty mozzarella cheese. An easy weeknight family favorite!
Servings: 5
Equipment
- Large oven-safe skillet
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 8 oz. sliced cremini mushrooms (or zucchini)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds, coarsely crushed (optional)
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 oz. fresh baby spinach or chopped kale
- 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 2 cups water
- 1 (24 to 26-oz.) jar marinara or tomato-basil sauce (I recommend Rao's brand)
- 12 oz. dried pasta, such as shellbows or farfalle
- 8 oz. (about 1 cup) ricotta cheese (part skim or whole-milk)
- 1 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Fresh torn basil for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF. Heat oil in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium. Add bell pepper and mushrooms; cook until tender, about 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in garlic, red pepper flakes, and fennel seeds (if using), and cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted, stirring often, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season vegetables with 1/4 tsp. salt.
- Add water, marinara sauce, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt; increase heat to bring mixture to a simmer. Once simmering, sir in pasta, and continue to simmer for 2 minutes, stirring often to make sure pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Cover with foil and transfer pan to the oven. (If your pan is not oven-safe, transfer to a 9x13-inch baking dish.) Bake for 12 minutes. Remove foil, and stir in 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella. Nestle in dollops of ricotta cheese, and scatter remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella overtop. Place back in the oven, uncovered, for 7 to 10 more minutes (cook time will largely depend on type of noodle you're using - check at 7 for doneness), until the cheese is melted and pasta is al dente. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Garnish with fresh torn basil.
Notes
- STORE: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- REHEAT: Rewarm individual portions in the microwave, stopping to stir every 30 seconds to promote even heating, until warm. You can also reheat in a 325ºF oven, covered with foil, until warm.
- FREEZE:
- Divide pasta into two 8-inch square freezer-to-oven baking dishes. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, followed by foil to lock in moisture. Or, if you'd rather not tie up your baking pans, line them with plastic wrap FIRST so you can easily pull the pasta bake out, if needed.
2. Label and date each pan, and freeze for up to 3 months.
3. When ready to reheat, place in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. Once thawed, remove plastic wrap and foil, and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, or until heated through. If the pasta seems a bit dry after reheating, stir in about 1/4-1/2 cup of vegetable broth or water to re-hydrate.
- Divide pasta into two 8-inch square freezer-to-oven baking dishes. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, followed by foil to lock in moisture. Or, if you'd rather not tie up your baking pans, line them with plastic wrap FIRST so you can easily pull the pasta bake out, if needed.
Nutrition
Serving: 2cups | Calories: 490kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 854mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g