Are you on the hunt for both flavourful and healthy meal? Well, you’re in for a treat with our Zucchini Tomato Pasta Bake! This baked pasta recipe perfectly highlights the original flavor of every single ingredient. It is a perfect combo of fresh zucchini and juicy tomatoes mingling with al dente pasta, all topped off with layers of bubbly cheese. Sounds amazing – as if you can almost smell it, right?
Jump to RecipeThis zucchini tomato pasta bake recipe is a must-try. whether you’re scrambling for a quick weeknight dinner or planning a cozy get-together with family or friends. Plus, it’s healthy, packed with nutritious goodness, and totally customizable to fit your tastes.
Stick around, and I’ll show you how to create this fantastic dish in just a few simple steps. Trust me, once you try it, you’ll be adding this baked pasta recipe to your regular rotation in no time!
Ingredient Notes
Pasta
You can use any pasta shape you prefer. It’s best if the pasta is roughly the same size as the other ingredients (cherry tomatoes and zucchini pieces). I chose campanelle to complement my wavy baking dish. Its flower shape adds a vibrant summer mood to the overall dish.
Cherry tomatoes
If you do not have or like cherry tomatoes, they can be substituted with sundried tomatoes (without baking them) or skipped. I do not recommend using other types of tomatoes instead.
Zucchini
You will need ripe and fresh zucchini, preferably small. If you can easily find other high-quality seasonal vegetables, feel free to use them. Eggplants would be perfect, but broccoli or cauliflower would also work well.
Crushed tomatoes (polpa)
You can use a can of whole peeled tomatoes, they will soften and you will be able to crush them easily. Be careful, canned tomatoes may contain salt. In this case, you will need to adjust the overall amount of salt in the sauce.
Philadelphia cheese
In my baked pasta, I used a high-protein option to compensate for the lack of protein and make it more balanced in nutrients. But it’s up to you whether to use a high-protein version, normal Philadelphia cheese, or other creamy cheeses – ricotta, mozzarella, etc.
Grated pecorino
For this zucchini tomato pasta bake, it’s absolutely okay to use grated cheese or to substitute it with parmesan.
Fresh mint
Fresh mint perfectly complements roasted zucchini and Philadelphia cheese. The combination of freshly chopped mint and hot aromatic sauce gives the brightest flavor and the ultimate summer palate. If you don’t like mint, you can simply omit this ingredient or replace it with fresh basil. It is better not to use dried herbs though, just as you should not put the mint in advance so it does not heat up.
Zuchini Tomato Pasta Bake Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Small saucepan
- 1 middle pot
- 1 Small baking dish
- 1 mixing bawl
Ingredients
For tomato sauce:
- 1 cun Crushed tomatoes (Polpa)
- 3 cloves Garlic
- ½ Onion
- 1 tsp Dried oregano
- ½ tsp Peperoncino (Chilli flakes)
- 1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt & ground pepper
For Pasta:
- 3 oz Short pasta, 1/5 box (100 g)
- 2-3 Zucchini, middle size (20 oz)
- 1 cup Cherry tomatoes (150 g)
- 2 tsp Dried oregano
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Balsamic vinegar cream
- ½ cup Philadelphia cheese 4 oz (120 g)
- ¼ cup Grated pecorino cheese 1 oz (30 g)
- 1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt & ground pepper
For garnish:
- 1 tbsp Grated pecorino cheese
- Fresh mint
Instructions
Tomato sauce:
- Start with the sauce – the longer it cooks the better (at least half an hour). Put 1 tbsp of olive oil, 1 can of crushed tomatoes, half a onion peeled, and a few whole garlic cloves (peeled) in a saucepan.
- Season with dried oregano, salt, and peperoncino flakes to taste.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- After 40 minutes, remove and discard the onion. Crush the garlic with a spoon and stir.
Baked vegetables:
- Preheat oven to 400℉ / 200℃.
- Meanwhile, cut the zucchini into thick slices. If you have very large vegetables it is best to take out and discard the core and seeds.
- In a bowl, mix the sliced zucchini with salt, pepper, dried oregano, 1/2 tbsp olive oil and 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar cream
- Cut the cherry tomatoes into halves.
- In a separate bowl, mix the tomatoes with the sugar, salt, pepper, dried oregano, 1/2 tbsp olive oil and 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar cream
- Place all the vegetables on a baking tray and send to seal for 20 minutes. Ideally, bake with the grill on or put it on the highest oven level.
Pasta:
- When the vegetables are in the oven – put the water for the pasta. When the water boils – add salt and dry pasta. Cook until al dente or one minute less than the time indicated on the package.
- In a baking dish, combine the pasta, sauce, and vegetables, leaving some of the vegetables for decoration.
- Sprinkle with a layer of grated pecorino cheese.
- Using a spoon, spread the balls of Philadelphia cheese. It is better not to try to spread the cheese, but to do it already on the plate.
- Decorate with the remaining vegetables and put in the oven for 20 minutes. Or until the top becomes nicely crispy.
Serving:
- Arrange the pasta on plates, making sure to spread the cheese evenly. Sprinkle with grated Pecorino cheese.
- Chop the fresh mint and sprinkle it over the pasta already on the plates. If you are cooking in a large mold and plan to store leftovers, don't add mint ahead of time. Instead, add it in batches to each plate after reheating.
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