This vegetarian Caprese Pasta Bake is simple yet satisfying, great for a weeknight supper – Made with simple ingredients and ready in just 30 min!
This straightforward Caprese Pasta Bake is an excellent way to enjoy summer flavors even on a chilly, rainy winter day. It’s loaded with fresh Italian tastes and served as a hearty baked dish, ideal for warming up during the colder months. It’s one of my favorite go-to meals when I’m feeling under the weather and craving comfort food—something soul-warming, easy to prepare with basic ingredients, and requiring minimal steps. And this Caprese Pasta Bake perfectly fits the bill. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s conveniently vegetarian and uses everyday Italian pantry staples: pasta, marinara sauce, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil. For the sauce, I opted for a simple 5-minute marinara that evokes the fresh tomato taste of a classic Caprese salad.
If you have a bit more time, feel free to swap it with my classic Italian tomato sauce for a richer flavor. This Caprese Pasta Bake comes together so effortlessly that you’ll have a lovely meal ready to share with the whole family before you know it. Simply cook the pasta until al dente, toss it with the sauce, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, and basil, then bake until the cheese is beautifully melted and your kitchen smells incredible. Once baked, spoon the steaming pasta into large bowls, sprinkle with extra basil (and if you’re feeling indulgent, grate some umami-rich Parmesan on top), and get ready to devour it in no time.
My favorite thing about this Caprese Pasta Bake is how simple it truly is—making it an ideal dinner for busy people (especially if you’re a new mum like me). You really can’t go wrong with cheese, pasta, and sauce baked to perfection!
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
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Caprese Pasta Bake
This vegetarian Caprese Pasta Bake is simple yet satisfying, great for a weeknight supper – Made with simple ingredients and ready in just 30 min! Recipe by The Petite Cook
Author: The Petite Cook
Recipe type: Vegetarian
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 400gr penne rigate pasta
- 400gr homemade marinara sauce
- handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
- handful of fresh basil leaves, roughly teared
- 250gr fresh mozzarella, drained and finely cubed
- 1 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Heat oven to 180C/360F and arrange a baking tray into the middle shelf.
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water. Cook the pasta until just al dente, about 4 min shorter than cooking time instructions.
- Drain pasta, and mix it with the marinara sauce, tomatoes, half the mozzarella, basil and olive oil. Toss all ingredients together, season accordingly, then spoon evenly into a large ovenproof dish.
- Top the pasta with remaining mozzarella. Place in the oven and cook until cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.
- Top with the remaining basil and serve immediately.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
3.5.3229
