Easy Baked Pasta

Easy Baked Pasta is a healthy, vegetarian casserole combining a creamy ricotta tomato sauce, penne, cheese, and fresh tomatoes. You won’t believe something that only takes minutes to throw together can be so delicious!

Easy Baked Pasta is one of those recipes anyone can handle. It doesn’t matter how much confidence you lack in the kitchen, I promise you can pull off this healthy weeknight dinner.

My mom passed along this Easy Baked Pasta recipe, with an adamant you-have-to-make-this-it’s-so-easy-and-so-good. She was right.

Not only does this baked pasta casserole require zero brain cells to make, but it’s a delicious healthy, vegetarian meal. Plus, it’s perfect for this time of year to use up those garden tomatoes.

Can a Pasta Bake Be Frozen?

Yes. Once Easy Baked Pasta has completely cooled, divide leftovers into serving-sized portions and place in freezer containers.

To reheat the penne bake, thaw completely on counter or in the refrigerator. Microwave at 50% power until almost heated through, then finish heating at full power until hot.

The entire pasta casserole can be frozen as well before baking. Wrap the baking dish securely with plastic wrap and cover with foil.

To reheat, thaw completely on the counter or refrigerator. Then bake according to directions, adding 10 minutes longer to heat through.

For another make-ahead, freezer-friendly pasta dish, try Meatless Baked Ziti!

How to Make Easy Baked Pasta

1. Mix together marinara, ricotta, parmesan, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
2. Add cooked penne or ziti pasta and pour into a greased casserole dish.
3. Top pasta bake with mozzarella cheese.
4. Scatter tomatoes over cheese and bake at 350ºF for 25 minutes.

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step-by-step web story instructions for this recipe!

best Tips and Tricks

• Not feeling a vegetarian meal? Add cooked chicken, ground beef, or sausage when you mix in the penne.
• Want more veggies? Add chopped spinach, cooked eggplant, broccoli, mushrooms, peppers or onions when you mix in the pasta.
• Have leftovers? Read “Can a Pasta Bake Be Frozen?” above for tips on freezing Easy Baked Penne

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Easy Baked Pasta

Easy Baked Pasta is a healthy, vegetarian dish combining a creamy ricotta tomato sauce, penne, cheese, and fresh tomatoes. You won’t believe something that only takes minutes to throw together can be so delicious!

4.29 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Author: Melissa Erdelac

Ingredients

• ▢ 12 ounces penne or ziti pasta, regular or gluten free
• ▢ 15 ounces (2 cups) part-skim ricotta
• ▢ 24 ounce jar good quality marinara (3 cups)
• ▢ 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• ▢ 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• ▢ 1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• ▢ 2 cups grape tomatoes**, halved
• ▢ 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

US Customary – Metric

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Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
  
• Cook pasta in salted water. If using regular pasta, cook for two minute less than al dente. If using gluten free pasta, cook less than half the time for al dente. For instance, my gluten free pasta said to cook 8 minutes for al dente, so I only cooked it 3 minutes for this recipe.*
  
• While the pasta is cooking combine ricotta, marinara, parmesan cheese, balsamic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add drained pasta and stir to combine. Pour into a greased 9X13″ baking dish.
  
• Top pasta with mozzarella then halved tomatoes. Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly. Then broil for 2-3 minutes longer to brown cheese and roast tomatoes. Garnish with fresh basil. 

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Recipe Notes

* Gluten free pasta breaks down easily, so you want to make sure it doesn’t get overcooked and mushy when you finish cooking it in the oven.

** Can substitute 4-5 sliced Roma tomatoes too

Tips / Tricks for Making Easy Baked Penne

• Not feeling a vegetarian meal? Add cooked chicken, ground beef, or sausage when you mix in the penne.
• Want more veggies? Add chopped spinach, cooked eggplant, broccoli, mushrooms, peppers or onions when you mix in the pasta.
• Have leftovers? Read “Can a Pasta Bake Be Frozen?” above for tips on freezing Easy Baked Penne

Recipe adapted from Delish

Nutrition

Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 889mg | Potassium: 554mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1120IU | Vitamin C: 11.2mg | Calcium: 345mg | Iron: 1.9mg

Course: Dinner

Categories: Baking Dinners Fall Gluten Free Pasta Quick and Easy Recipes Spring Summer Vegetables Vegetarian Winter

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