This easy Vegetable Pasta Bake is loaded with fresh veggies including mushrooms, peppers, spinach, onion, garlic, and tomato. Then it is topped with ricotta and melted cheese for a cozy weeknight meal that’s ready in under 40 minutes. It is a great meal for vegetarian (or flexitarian) dinners. Trust me, the whole family will love it (even the meat-eaters!)

a scoop of cheesy pasta bake with cheese pull

Why We Love This Vegetarian Baked Pasta Recipe

In my mind, baked pasta dishes can often taste uninspired, bland or boring. Or more precisely, like it is just the results of layering together a handful of store-bought convenience ingredients. Not to mention the fact that a lot of pasta bakes are sorely lacking in nutritional appeal. Enter this easy cheesy and healthy Vegetable Pasta Bake which is none of the above!

The flavors totally pop and it is the ultimate flexitarian formula. A reader request over and over! This veggie pasta bake can be made as-is with cooked turkey, chicken or plant-based sausage. I have even made it 100% plant based with vegan ricotta and cheese and it was a total hit!

Unlike vegetable lasagna, which requires layering all of the ingredients, this veggie baked pasta is much simpler to put together: the cooked veggies are stirred into the cooked pasta then just transferred to the casserole dish. All that is left to do is dollop on the ricotta cheese and add on shredded cheese before baking it! I’m telling you, this veggie pasta bake is so easy and simple yet so delish!

Make sure you check out our Ground Turkey Pasta Bake too!

Ingredients For This Easy Healthy Vegetable Pasta Bake

the ingredients with text overlay
  • Pasta: You can use white or whole wheat pasta or your favorite gluten-free pasta. We think rigatoni is best in this, but penne, zitii, shells or rotini also work really well.
  • Olive oil: You’ll need two tablesoons to cook the vegetables.
  • Seasonings: Dried Italian seasoning blend, salt and ground pepper. If you like a bit of spice you can add in a pich of red pepper flakes too.
  • Veggies: Garlic, Onion, Orange or Red Bell pepper, Mushrooms and Spinach. You can use yellow onions or red onions depending on what you have on hand. And feel free to mix up the combination of veggies depending on what you have on hand or use leftover roast veggies.
  • Crushed tomatoes: I think the flavor of fire-roasted canned tomatoes is really nice in this recipe and elevates it slightly with a more complex and smoky taste. Canned tomato puree and canned tomato sauce also works here. You can even sub in 2 cups jarred pasta sauce or marinara sauce (but only add salt to taste in that case.)
  • Fresh basil: This is the magical ingredient in this recipe and what sets it apart from all the rest so don’t skip it. And I do not recomend subbing in dried basil because it tastes completely different from fresh basil.
  • Part-skim ricotta cheese or plant-based ricotta: We tested this with both regular cow’s milk ricotta (part-skim) and Kite Hill vegan ricotta alternative. Both were great. The flavor of the Kite Hill is a little like that of goat cheese and quite tangy but very delicious.
  • Shredded cheese: You can use cheddar cheese, Italian cheese blend or Italian style vegan cheese shreds. You could also combine part-skim mozzarella cheese and Parmesan Cheese if you prefer. I like to use Shelburne Farm’s Cheddar which is made locally using regenerative farming practices. You can also use pre-shredded Italian cheese blend which is a great convenient ingredient. I also did test this with Diaya vegan cheese alternative. I used the Mozzarella-style shreds. It doesn’t melt like real cheese but my family enjoyed it.

As I mentioned above, you can make this flexitarian by adding 8 ounces of cooked and crumbled turkey sausage. I also tested it with two types of vegan sausage and both were great. You can use 8 ounces of crumbled Pumfu or Gimme Lean Sausage Style plant-based sausage cooked in olive oil.

How To Make The Best Veggie Pasta Bake

boiling the pasta and then draining and rinsing it

Step 1: Cook Pasta

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Check the package of pasta and note the recommended cook time for al dente pasta. Add pasta (photo 1a) and cook according to package instructions.

Drain well and run cool water over it (photo 1b) to wash off extra starch and to prevent the pasta from clumping together. Return to the pot.

the vegetables cooking in a skillet

Step 2: Sautee Veggies

To cook the vegetables, heat the oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add in your chopped onion and teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often until the onion is softened and starting to brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Add in garlic, bell pepper, mushrooms, Italian seasonings and pepper and cook, stirring often (photo 2a) until the vegetables are tender and any excess moisture is evaporated, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in spinach (photo 2b) and cook until the spinach is just wilted, about 1 minute.

combining the pasta and veggies in the pasta pot

Step 3: Combine Sauce, Pasta and Veggies

Add the vegetable mixture, the canned crushed tomatoes and fresh basil to the cooked pasta (photo 3) and stir well. If using sausage for the flexitarian option, add it to the pasta mixture now.

layering the casserole

Step 4: Assemble Vegetable Pasta Bake

Step 4: Transfer the pasta and veggie mixture to the casserole dish (photo 4a.) Dollop the ricotta over the top of the pasta (photo 4b.) Top with the shredded cheese (photo 4c.)

the pasta casserole in the oven

Step 5: Bake The Pasta Veggie Casserole

Bake until the pasta is bubbling hot and the cheese is melted about 12 minutes. Let cool at least 5 minutes before serving.

pasta bake from overhead

Expert Tips and FAQs for This Recipe

How long should the pasta be cooked?

The pasta is boiled before adding it to the veggies and baked so it will continue to cook as it bakes with the vegetables and sauce. Therefore, we suggest following the package instructions for al dente pasta.

For a flexitarian meal, can I add sausage to this vegetable pasta bake?

For a heartier meal, 8 to 16 ounces of turkey sausage can also be added. We recommend Hot Italian style. Remove the casings and spray a medium or large non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Crumble in the turkey sausage and heat over medium-high. Break up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon and cook until it is cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir the cooked sausage into the pasta with the vegetables in step 3.

Does gluten-free pasta work for this recipe?

Yes this can be made with gluten-free pasta. While we love chickpea pasta, it is not a good choice for this recipe because it becomes too soft and the texture becomes unpleasant. Instead, try brown rice pasta, and make sure to slightly undercook it in step 1.

Make Ahead, Reheating, Storage and Freezing Instructions

Make Ahead: To make this easy dinner even easier you can prepare the casserole through step 4. Cover with non-stick aluminum foil (or foil coated with cooking spray) and refrigerate up to 1 day. Bake covered for 25 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for 15 minutes longer. For best results try to tent the foil loosely as it bakes to prevent the cheese from clinging to the foil.

Leftovers and Storage: Keep the leftover casserole in the baking dish covered with plastic wrap or foil. Alternatively, transfer single servings to resealable containers. Keep refrigerated up to 3 days.

Reheating: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Reheat the casserole in the hot oven, covered with aluminum foil for about 35 minutes or until steaming hot.

Freezing: Yes, this can be baked and then frozen or assembled and then frozen. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Then bake until hot all the way through. (Use an instant-read thermometer to check in several places to make sure it has heated evenly.)

Variations To Try

  • Other veggies are welcome in this Vegetarian Pasta Bake! This recipe is very flexible and you can use any variety of fresh vegetables you want. Instead of peppers and mushrooms, you can add two cups of diced eggplant and 1 small sliced zucchini or yellow squash to the skillet with the cooked onions.
  • Instead of crushed tomatoes (or jarred tomato sauce) you an use a creamy sauce like a homemade bechamel sauce or jarred alfredo instead.
  • To serve a larger crowd this recipe can be doubled easily. Simply saute the veggies in two batches. Then once you’re ready to assemble it, make sure to use a large baking dish that can accommodate a double batch or if you have a hotel pan that would work too! Another option is to divide it among two glass lasagna-sized baking pans.
  • Make this a vegan pasta bake by following our instructions but sub in vegan cheeses.
  • When fresh tomatoes are in season, we like to use a few chopped Roma tomatoes to the veggie mix. If you want to use fresh chopped tomatoes it is best to seed and remove the tomato skin first before dicing them.

Serving Suggestions For Vegetarian Pasta Bake

We liked this recipe with salad on the side. My classic Garden Salad is great or you can make a classic Caesar salad or kale caesar. We had this dinner recipe the first time with garlic bread. My kids loved the carbs on carbs! You could also make the best green beans or sauteed zucchini.

a close up of the pasta filling with the veggies

Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!

Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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vegetable pasta bake close up

Vegetarian Pasta Bake


  • Author: Katie
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This easy healthy Baked Pasta with Veggies, spinach and ricotta is an great make-ahead kid friendly vegetarian (or flexitarian) dinner. The best part is that it is ready in only 40 minutes! 


Ingredients

Scale

12 ounces pasta, such as Rigatoni or Ziti

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 bell pepper, diced

8 ounces sliced mushrooms

2 teaspoons dry Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

5 ounces baby spinach

1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes, preferably fire roasted

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

8 oz part-skim ricotta cheese or plant based ricotta (1 cup)

2 cups shredded cheese such as Cheddar or Italian cheese blend or Italian style vegan cheese shreds


Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions for al dente pasta. Drain well and run cool water over it to wash off extra starch and to prevent the pasta from clumping together. Return to the pot. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
  2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and salt and cook, stirring often until the onion is softened and starting to brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Add in garlic, bell pepper, mushrooms, Italian seasonings and pepper and cook, stirring often until the vegetables are tender and any excess moisture is evaporated, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook until the spinach is just wilted, about 1 minute.
  3. Add the vegetable mixture, the crushed tomatoes and basil to the pasta and stir well. If using sausage for flexitarian option add it too.
  4. Transfer the pasta and veggie mixture to the casserole dish. Dollop the ricotta over the top of the pasta. Top with the shredded cheese.
  5. Bake until the pasta is bubbling hot and the cheese is melted, about 12 minutes. Let cool at least 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Flexitarian Variation: For a heartier meal, 8 to 16 ounces turkey sausage can also be added. We recommend Hot Italian style. Remove the casings and spray a medium or large non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Crumble in the turkey sausage and heat over medium-high. Break-up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon and cook until it is cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Stove and Oven
  • Cuisine: Italian American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/6 casserole
  • Calories: 467
  • Sugar: 7 g
  • Fat: 18 g
  • Saturated Fat: 7 g
  • Carbohydrates: 54 g
  • Fiber: 4 g
  • Protein: 23 g

Keywords: Vegetable Pasta Bake,Vegetarian Pasta Bake,Baked Ziti with Vegetables