How to keep baked pasta from drying out?

The pasta doesn't get a chance to dry out for this specific recipe because it doesn’t spend much time in the oven. This healthy recipe is prepared first on the stovetop. Then you layer it in the oven-safe baking dish before sticking it under the broiler for just a few minutes. You only want the cheese to bubble and brown. The pasta won’t dry out because it isn’t inside a hot oven for a long period of time like other pasta bake recipes.

Can I use the parmesan cheese in the green can instead?

Sorry, but this is a big no! The powdered parmesan cheese in the green cans is mainly buttermilk powder, salt, and then a bit of parmesan cheese. Not only will the pasta bake be way too salty, but this “cheese” will leave a sandy, gritty texture in the finished dish. Instead, grab a triangle of fresh parmesan cheese from the refrigerated section of the store, grate it up at home , and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Using real parmesan results in the best pasta bake recipe you’ve ever tasted.

What are Italian canned tomatoes?

Italian canned tomatoes are simply diced tomatoes that are already cooked and have the seasonings needed for this vegetarian pasta bake. You can find them by the other canned tomatoes and tomato sauces at your grocery store. They aren’t any more expensive than standard canned tomatoes and they do save time! You can use standard canned tomatoes in this recipe but you’ll need to add the garlic, basil, and oregano on your own so the pasta bake recipe has the proper seasonings.

Cheesy Vegetable Pasta Bake (Video Recipe)

Name: Cheesy Vegetable Pasta Bake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 tablespoon olive oil; 1 pound box penne pasta; 1 medium onion, chopped; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 4 – 14 oz cans Italian seasoned tomatoes, undrained; 16 ounces fresh spinach; 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes; 3/4 tsp kosher salt; 1/2 tsp pepper; 1 C freshly grated parmesan cheese; 8 oz mozzarella cheese, cubed

Ingredients

Scale

2 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound box penne pasta
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 – 14 oz cans Italian seasoned tomatoes, undrained
16 ounces fresh spinach
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 C freshly grated parmesan cheese
8 oz mozzarella cheese, cubed

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Instructions

Cook your pasta in salted water according to the package directions to al dente, then drain and set aside. Do not rinse the cooked pasta!
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and when hot, add the onion. Sauté until the onion is beginning to soften, then add the garlic and cook for another 1 minute.
Add the undrained Italian tomatoes, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Allow the sauce to simmer and reduce for about 15 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Add the spinach in large handfuls, mixing it in after each handful. Allow the spinach to wilt a bit and then add another large bunch of spinach, repeating until all the spinach has been added.
Sprinkle 1/3 C of the parmesan cheese and mix it in before pouring the sauce over your cooked pasta.
Add cubed mozzarella cheese before tossing the sauce with the pasta, then combine until the sauce and cheese is evenly distributed.
Transfer the pasta to a greased large casserole dish then sprinkle on the remaining parmesan cheese before placing it under the broiler until the cheese browns on top.

Author: Carole Jones
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Main Dish
Method: Baked
Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/10 th
Calories: 339
Sugar: 3 g
Sodium: 561 mg
Fat: 13 g
Saturated Fat: 5 g
Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 42 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 18 g
Cholesterol: 24 mg

Keywords: easy pasta recipes, vegetable pasta bake, vegetarian recipes