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.
Breakfast Mess All: It’s like a breakfast casserole
1 package (26 ounces) frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (12 ounces each) Spam or 3 cups cubed fully cooked ham
6 eggs. lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Directions
In a large skillet, fry potatoes in oil for 10 minutes. Add green pepper, onion and garlic; continue to cook for 25 minutes or until potatoes are browned and vegetables are tender. Stir in Spam; heat through. Cover and remove from the heat. In another greased skillet, combine eggs. salt and pepper. Cook and stir gently until eggs are set. Stir into potato mixture. Top with cheese; cover for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Yield: 6-8 servings.
Somehow our homemade pizza does the trick!
I would say my mess comes from rhubarb crisp or monkey break.
Look’s yummy! I sould say meatloaf when it decides to splatter!
My favorite messy recipe I made recently was lentil and sweet potato empanadas. The whole kitchen was a mess and the filling oozed out all over everything. So yummy!
Our lasagna is forever running over! But it’s oh so good!
Friday night pizza is my favorite messy but delicious meal. Hope to win the beautiful oven. Thanks for the chance.
Open-broiled ribs are a crowd pleaser, but ALWAYS messy!!
Baking Pecan Pie which is a favorite of my husband always manages to make a mess of my oven. No matter what I do it always leaks into the bottom of my oven!!
Okay, I think made the same mistake as several others…thought I had to hit Add Comment to get to the comment entry spot. Didn’t realize this fancy aqua spot was the place. Favorite messy….hard choice…Always messy is homemade pizzas, and homemade cherry pie is the ooziest…one time I had someone chatting in my kitchen calmly add at the end of the sentence, “and your stove is on fire.” (since I have electric, I thought he was kidding and just laughed, til he added, “no seriously!” it was full flames from an overflowing pie!)
Baking bread or pizza on the rack is usually what gets my oven messy!
Here is one of my favorite messy recipes. The mess comes when you stir the pops in the oven!
Caramel Corn Pops
1 (18 oz.) bag Corn Curls (pops) or Kettle Pops (look in the Potato Chip/Popcorn section of your store)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 square butter (1/4 cup)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup of light corn syrup
1 Tbsp. water
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Bring butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla and water to a medium boil. Stir continuously. Boil for 1 to 1 ½ minutes. Remove from heat. Add baking soda, coating will puff up. Pour over corn pops or kettle pops; toss. Spread out in a large cookie sheet.
Bake in 200 degree oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and pour caramel pops onto waxed paper to cool.
Break into pieces and enjoy!
Every Christmas Eve I prep Sticky Buns for Christmas. I always put too many rolls in my pan and when it rises it makes a mess!!!!
When we make pizza because I love to put them right on the rack as well. I have put foil on the rack below just to try and catch the mess.
My messiest dish is probably my homemade chicken pot pie…I bake it in my cast iron pan and it always comes out perfectly. I know it’s done when it bubbles and spits. ;) Broiling bacon is the messiest thing I do to my oven, though.
Sugar Cookies…flour everywhere. Bags of frosting in multiple colors and sprinkles rolling onto the floor.
My favorite dish that messes up my oven is Caramel Rolls. The filling always spills out while they bake. I’ve gotten smart and put a cookie sheet underneath the baking dish to save my oven. :)
Homemade pizza is definitely my family’s favorite messy recipe. The whole family gets to make their own creation, which ends up in a huge cleanup job!