Cozy, cheesy, and exactly what you want at the end of the day.
The Food Network can be thanked for this entire website. In fact, it all started with a Veggie Pasta Bake cooked by Giada de Laurentis.
It was during that fateful episode I switched from my baking-loving ways to a more savory cook. And once you taste this cozy and comforting, veggie-loaded pasta dish, you’ll see why.
The combination of healthy roasted vegetables combined with the classics—marinara sauce, and pasta—is easy enough to make but also loaded with flavor and secretly full of nutrition.
But my favorite part of the entire dish? The toasted breadcrumbs on top get tossed in a bit of butter. It adds the subtlest crunch to help counterbalance the soft texture of the pasta. This pasta casserole is the ultimate comfort food.
Made this last night. Soooooo delicious!! Both my little guys loved it and hubby and I went back for seconds! We’re having friends over this weekend, going to make it again and have as a side 🙂 Thanks
– Bobby-Jo
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Cheese. Both mozzarella and Parmesan cheese are used in this recipe. Save time by grabbing them pre-shredded or pre-grated. Choose a vegan-friendly cheese for a vegan pasta bake.
- Pasta. You can opt for regular noodles, or choose a gluten-free pasta variety by using Barilla’s rotini pasta or Jovial’s fusilli pasta. Feel free to change up the shape of the noodle. I have had success with penne, rotini, and fusilli pastas.
- Vegetables. While this recipe calls for red and green bell peppers, zucchini squash, yellow squash, and sweet onion (a yellow onion works, too), you could easily add in your favorite vegetables to really make this dish your own. Avoid red onions as their flavor will overpower.
- Seasonings. Keep things simple by using a blend, like this homemade Italian seasoning. You can also buy a bottle at the store. Salt, black pepper, and garlic powder are essential, as well.
- Sauce. A jar of spaghetti sauce or marinara is needed, so grab a brand you love the taste of.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Roast the veggies.
Preheat the oven to 425℉.
Once the vegetables are cut, spread them out on a large baking sheet. For the best results, line it with parchment paper first.
Drizzle the oil over the veggies, then sprinkle the salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning (or whatever spices you choose). Toss to combine, then roast for 15 minutes or until tender.
Pro Tip: The most important step in this process is to ensure the veggies are cut consistently so they roast up at the same rate. (Check out these tips on how to cut julienne.)
Combine the ingredients.
While the veggies are roasting, spray a deep 9×13-inch baking dish or lasagna pan with a non-stick cooking spray. Trust me, you want as deep a pan as possible.
Dump the cooked pasta, spaghetti sauce, shredded cheese, and roasted vegetables into the pan, then stir until everything is mixed together.
Top with breadcrumbs.
Whisk the melted butter, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and remaining Italian seasoning in a small bowl.
Carefully sprinkle the mixture over the top of the pasta in the baking dish.
Bake and serve.
Reduce the oven to 375℉.
Place the dish into the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are turning lightly golden brown and it’s hot throughout.
Before serving this cheesy pasta bake, allow the pasta to rest at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes. If desired, you can top the pasta with more Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, and red pepper flakes.
FAQs
Most commonly, spaghetti or marinara sauce is used for this pasta bake. However, you can choose different flavors, or even opt for a vodka cream or Alfredo sauce, but it will change the flavor.
If you don’t add enough sauce to the pasta and veggies, the noodles might turn out hard during baking.
To an extent, the type of pasta matters. The best options are penne, rotini, and fusilli pasta.
While some recipes call for uncooked pasta, this dish requires the pasta already be cooked. You can choose your favorite type of pasta, just be sure it’s cooked al dente before adding it to the pan.
What to serve with it?
This dish is so delicious on its own, but you can also pair it with a lean protein for a full meal for the meat eaters.
Go for chicken, like Baked BBQ Chicken, Glazed Balsamic Chicken Recipe, Spatchcock Chicken, or Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs.
You can’t go wrong with Air Fryer Steak.
Or, choose Miso Glazed Salmon or Pistachio Crusted Salmon.
And don’t forget the garlic bread.
Or, go with a side salad, like a Fall Harvest Salad or a Lemon Arugula Salad.
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Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake
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Ingredients
- 2 bell peppers red and green, cut into thin, 1-inch-long slices
- 1 zucchini squash cut in half and then into ½-inch thick slices
- 1 summer squash cut in half and then into ½-inch thick slices
- 1 sweet onion cut into thin, 1-inch-long slices
- 3 tablespoons oil olive or avocado
- 1 ½ tablespoons Italian seasoning dried, divided
- 2 teaspoons salt divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 12 ounces rotini or fusilli pasta cooked 1-2 minutes less than package directions
- 24 ounces spaghetti sauce or marinara
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded
- ½ cup plain breadcrumbs Panko-style or regular
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese grated
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Roast the Veggies: Spread veggies out in a single layer on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle oil over veggies and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Italian seasonings, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Toss to combine. Bake veggies in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until veggies are roasted.2 bell peppers, 1 zucchini squash, 1 summer squash, 1 sweet onion, 3 tablespoons oil, 1 ½ tablespoons Italian seasoning, 2 teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Combine Ingredients: Spray a deep 9 x 13-inch baking pan, or lasagna pan, with non-stick cooking spray. Add cooked pasta, spaghetti sauce, shredded cheese, roasted vegetables, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Toss to combine.12 ounces rotini or fusilli pasta, 24 ounces spaghetti sauce, 8 ounces mozzarella cheese
- Top with Breadcrumbs: In a small bowl combine melted butter, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and remaining 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning. Whisk to combine. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over pasta in the baking dish.½ cup plain breadcrumbs, ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 2 tablespoons butter
- Bake, Top, and Serve: Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and bake pasta for 20-25 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are lightly golden. Let pasta bake sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving with additional Parmesan cheese, finely chopped parsley, and red pepper flakes, to taste.
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Notes
- GF Pasta: I have successfully used Barilla’s gluten-free rotini pasta and Jovial’s gluten-free fusilli pasta in this recipe.
- Vegan: Replace mozzarella and Parmesan with dairy-free cheese if vegetarian or vegan and use oil instead of the butter.
- Vegetables: Grab any type of fresh vegetables you like for this recipe. You can opt for broccoli, green beans, or other even cherry tomatoes.
- Sauce: Be sure the noodles are completely covered in the sauce so they don’t get hard during baking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Pasta Recipes
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Can meat/seafood be added to this recipe?
Hi Rhonda! Yes! A vegetable pasta bake is super flexible, so you can definitely add protein. Cooked chicken, ground turkey, Italian sausage, or even shrimp all work well. Just make sure the meat or seafood is fully cooked before mixing it into the pasta bake since it won’t have enough time to cook through in the oven.
I’m excited to try this tonight! I will be subbing the noodles for black soybean spaghetti noodles! They have 11g of fiber and 25 grams of protein per serving! A great pasta substitute. Plus they look kinda spooky! Perfect for Halloween
What a great idea! I hope you love the recipe. They’ll be great for Halloween!
What is spaghetti sauce?
Hi Sarah! Spaghetti sauce is sometimes referred to as marinara sauce, also. It’s the pasta sauce you typically pour over spaghetti and meatballs!
Made this last night. Soooooo delicious!! Both my little guys loved it and hubby and I went back for seconds! We’re having friends over this weekend, going to make it again and have as a side 🙂 Thanks
Yay, yay!! So happy all the boys enjoyed it 🙂 Hope your company loves it, too! Thanks so much for your comment and rating, Bobby-Jo!!
Ther was no step to add the mozzarella.
Sorry for the confusion, Melissa! I have updated the recipe to reflect this addition. Thanks for the comment!