A delicious caprese pasta bake covered in creamy tomato sauce and bubbly mozzarella. This easy 30-minute meal is the perfect way to use up fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden!
This pasta recipe reminds me of my baked ziti, baked feta pasta or baked mostaccioli, but with a caprese twist!
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Cheesy Baked Caprese Pasta
Today I’m going to share a super yummy recipe with you…a caprese pasta bake! Caprese salad is my absolute favorite and this dish combines those delicious flavors with my love of pasta recipes. It’s creamy, cheesy and full of flavor from the fresh tomatoes and basil.
Just like pasta primavera, this is a great vegetarian dish to make for Meatless Monday, although you could absolutely add ground beef or sausage if you want like I do in my baked rigatoni pasta. My family doesn’t even miss the meat and always raves over this meal.
Tips + Variations
- Salt the water. Add a teaspoon of kosher salt to the pot of water when boiling the pasta. It’s a simple way to pack in a little more flavor and trust me, it makes a difference!
- Cook noodles al dente. I usually boil the noodles until they are cooked al dente. This way they don’t get too mushy after baking in the oven. They come out perfectly tender and delicious!
- Add meat. Add 1/2 pound cooked ground beef, chicken or Italian sausage to add more heartiness to this meal.
- Lighten it up. Swap the heavy cream for half and half, or leave it out all together.
- Homemade marinara. If you have the time, making a homemade marinara sauce can really take this dish up a notch. It tastes so fresh and delicious!
- Finish it off. For the ultimate caprese flavor, add a drizzle of balsamic glaze right before serving.
FAQs
Sure! A few Tablespoons of basil pesto would another layer of flavor to the Caprese pasta
Fresh mozzarella cut into cubes is best! You can find a large ball of fresh mozzarella usually in the produce department of most grocery stores.
Spinach leaves would add a bright pop of color and nutrition!
Any hollow pasta in the shape of a tube works great to soak up all the sauce! Penne, ziti and rigatoni would all work best.
How to Freeze Pasta Caprese
Similar to other baked pasta dishes like lasagna or baked spaghetti, this recipe is a great freezer meal. Because it makes a lot, I usually always freeze half to pull out for an easy dinner.
This recipe works best when frozen before baking. Simply boil the noodles, then mix with the sauce and prepare in the baking dish as directed. Let cool completely, then cover the dish tightly with foil. Place in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw in the fridge overnight and then bake in the oven according to the instructions.
Need more easy pasta recipes? Try this pasta carbonara recipe or chicken parmesan recipe next!
More Delicious Pasta Dishes
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Caprese Pasta Bake
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound ziti pasta , penne or rigatoni
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 2-5 ounces mozzarella cheese , cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 cup grape tomatoes , halved
- fresh basil leaves , chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9×9" baking dish with nonstick spray. Cook pasta according to package directions in a large pot of water with 1 teaspoon salt. Once pasta is fully cooked, drain and place back in pot.
- Once noodles are done cooking, add in the sauce, heavy cream and parmesan cheese.
- Stir in mozzarella and tomatoes (saving some for the top). Then pour pasta mixture into baking dish and top with remaining cheese and tomatoes.
- Bake in oven for 20-30 minutes, or until golden and bubbly. Top with freshly chopped basil. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: 30 Minute Meals, 30 Minute Meals, Casseroles, Dinner, Freezer-Friendly, Freezer-Friendly, Italian, Nut-Free, Pasta, Vegetarian, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
I make a huge mess every time i try, Boeuf bourguignon but it tastes amazing!
The Dish I Make The Most Mess With Is Blackberry Cobbler!
Mine is gluten-free black forest cake. It’s messy and time consuming to make, but boy does it taste good.
Ours is mini chicken pot pies. Love them!
My favorite messy thing to make is chicken parm!
Cake Pops! The last attempt had sprinkles all over my floor and cake all over the counters.
My favorite messy recipe is pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. It never fails to spill over the pie plates and make a mess on the bottom of my oven.
A new family favorite recipe: Pillsbury Pepperoni Pizza Bake – YUMMY and messy for the kids, but so worth it!
Here is the recipe:
Ingredients
1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® Homestyle refrigerated original biscuits
1 can (8 oz) pizza sauce
2 cups finely shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)
16 slices pepperoni (1 1/2 inch)
1 CUT each biscuit into 8 pieces; toss with pizza sauce and 1 cup of the cheese.
2 SPREAD in sprayed 13×9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish. Top with pepperoni and remaining 1 cup cheese.
3 BAKE at 375°F 20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.
:)
My favorite recipe is Lasagna .
We just discovered a new sloppy joe recipe filled with tons of veggies (sweet potato puree, red pepper puree). It’s so sweet and delicious.
Sounds yummy. can you post the recipe?
Hi Linda! The recipe is in the post. It may take a little while to load.
I don’t think I have ever managed to bake a cherry pie without it bubbling over and making a mess.
My favorite messy recipe is a tie between homemade lasagna and homemade augratin potatoes- the chesse melts over everytime. Would love a chance to win the new lg oven. Thanks!
Giant chocolate chip cookie in a pizza pan!
My messiest recipe is apple pie. I have to try the Caprese pasta recipe!
That pasta looks delish! My favorite messy oven recipe is Caramel Corn. You have to toss it around every 15 minutes or so and it always ends up all over the oven :) It’s worth it though!
It seems I’m always making a mess when I cook, but my biggest oven mess was a Mac and cheese. This was not your normal Mac and cheese it was a clog your arteries type and it leaked all over my oven. The worst part was I used my self cleaning feature to help with the mess, but did not wipe up any of the mess first and my oven caught on fire. Huge flames inside and black smoke coming out! Never made that Mac and cheese again!
Homemade pizza!! It’s the best and the messiest! (At least the way I make it!!!)
Our favorite is Tatar Tot Casserole and Chocolate Cobbler. Always have a huge mess with these but they are SO good!! :)