Baked Vegetable Pasta
Updated February 20, 2012
Last week I mentioned that pasta is a great “go to” meal for us. Well, last night I threw together a baked pasta dish and it was terrific! Baked pastas are so easy, but can still impress the guests.
Luckily, I had some homemade vegetable pasta sauce in our freezer. So I took that out and boiled up some whole wheat penne pasta. I know some people dislike the whole wheat stuff, but we love it. It doesn’t cost much more and the extra fiber and nutritional benefits are so worth it!!
I grated some mozzarella and parmesan and also chopped up some fresh basil. I layered everything in a casserole dish and waited for the bubbling to begin!! We had a scrumptious meal in no time.
Baked Vegetable Pasta
1 box of whole wheat penne pasta
Homemade vegetable pasta sauce or your favorite sauce
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
4 ounces shredded parmesan cheese
Chopped fresh basil
In a large pot bring water to boil. Add in salt and boil the penne pasta. You don’t want to cook it all of the way because it will finish cooking in the oven. I did mine for about 7 minutes.
When the pasta is done, mix it with your sauce of choice in the pot. Add half of the pasta to a casserole dish. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
Add the rest of the pasta/sauce and then finish it off with the remaining cheese. Sprinkle with fresh basil.
Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes…or until the pasta is bubbling!!
Let cool for 5 minutes, then serve.
Always loved bubbly topping!! And of course, bubbly cheese topping is all better.
Bubbly cheese is so comforting. Great dish and you’re right pasta is a fantastic “go to” meal.
Everything is better with cheese on top!
This looks so delicious! Perfect with a nice piece of french bread!
That pasta looks wonderful! I agree about the whole wheat pasta- totally worth it.
Yum, I love baked pastas too! I make them at least twice a month and love to try different variations – this one looks great! They’re also perfect for wintertime coming up. 🙂
I absolutely love it when I have homemade pasta or pizza sauce in the freezer. Nothing compares. This pasta dish looks so tasty. What a great meal!
This looks totally delicious. Nobody can work in the veggies like you two can! I know that this one will be a big hit in our house!
For some reason, after living in the same place for about 12 years, I moved (let’s see) three times in 2 years. Ziti with sauce and cheese became my standard finally-unpacked-enough-to-cook meal…and I love your vegetable sauce! This looks great.
Yum! I love pasta. I love it even more when I’m 6 months pregnant! I sent you an award and a meme today…
That looks wonderful! Yum yum yum!
Looks beautiful! And I love the whole wheat pasta too. It should make people feel less guilty about eating pasta which I always thought was good for us anyway. But the fiber and protein are such added bonuses.
This looks lovely and that cheese topping makes it irresistable.
Looks yummy! I thought I saw zucchini in there! I checked out your sauce recipe and there it was! Awesome!!
I love using whole wheat pasta too! Your bake looks good!
Wow – this looks incredible! My husband loves baked pasta – I’ll have to try this version!
That looks so delicious – I love the cheesiness…perfect!
Anything covered in melted cheese is my favorite food.
Looks absolutely delicious…I use whole wheat pasta all the time these days and love it too 🙂
Sounds like a healthy and delicious meal!
I get the crusty cheesy corner, ok? This looks fantastic and so warming right about now. Delicious!
I love baked pasta! This is just gorgeous! I never use fresh herbs, I need to get into it!
Your pasta looks delicious, I loved baked dishes like this when the weather is cool.
oh my, it does look lovely… and you made it so healthy too… 🙂
Simple and delicious. You can’t get better than baked and bubbly cheese.
I love whole wheat pasta too! I don’t see how you can’t like it. More flavor, right?
Looks great!
Anything that recommends baking until bubbly is totally worth it – looks great!
-DTW
http://www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com
pretty colors and melted cheese–that’s a pretty fierce combination. 🙂
looks great. and happy halloween. 🙂
that looks absolutely delicious ..
That is a seriously delicious ‘go-to’ dish! It’s bubbly and golden all over, which is just the way baked pasta should be 🙂 Beautiful work Maria.
This sounds so easy and delicious I love it!
This looks perfect!
Yummy,
It’s like a baked ziti without the ricotta!
This is a great Sunday dinner!
I love baked pasta dishes! And I actually like the whole wheat pasta – except for the lasagna noodles. 🙂
I don’t know what it is, but baked pastas are some of my favorites. SO comforting!
Do you have another link to your vegetable pasta sauce? I would love to try this, but the link won’t work on my computer. Thank you!
Here it is: https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/summer-pasta-sauce/ It’s an old post, so sorry about the photos, etc:)