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’ve used this recipe several times now and I just want to say THANK YOU! It is the only recipe (besides spaghetti) that I can guarantee my two small kids will eat. What’s more, they want seconds. And the next day, and the next, they want leftovers.
We take out the tomatoes now because I’m allergic, though with the tomatoes it tasted great. We do add sausage, just a smoked sausage cut into half slices, to give it some meat. My husband demands meat at every meal. :)
Thank you so much for your comment Brooke! This is a meal my two kiddos will eat too and I love it. My husband is definitely a meat kind of guy so I am going to have to try adding sausage to it…thanks for the idea! xo
First off, I love your site, and I love this recipe….but I’m having a hard time seeing where to add the fresh basil. I’ve read the recipe five or six times looking for it. I made this last night, and my family loved it, but I just guessed and added the chopped fresh basil after mixing the pasta with the sauce. Is that right, or should it have gone in earlier?
You can definitely add it after mixing the pasta with the sauce. I like to top it fresh after the pasta is baked! :)
Pizza Pizza! Love that messy stuff.
Scalloped potatoes always leave a mess.
my husbands homemade loaded pasta dish always leaves the stove an unreal mess. Thanks for the chance to win.
My family’s favorite meal that leaves a mess in the oven & the kids is lasagna!
My meatloaf leaves a mess!
I would love to win this LG oven. My favorite messy recipe is the Strawberry and Rhubarb Crumble. So good…but the sauce always boil over.
amy [at] utry [dot] it
My family loves my chicken pot pie, but it’s messy in the oven (and a little messy to eat).
Baked manicotti
Pecan Pie from an old recipe that I begged from a resort in Mexico. No roll crust, but a mess in the oven because too much filling for the crust and I try to squeeze in every last delicious dollop!
Country style pork ribs. I’ll make these the day before I need to clean the oven.
I printed this one out; we’re making this TONIGHT! I’m hungry just looking at it! One of our favorite messy pasta recipes is mac and cheese; I’ve never once not had it bubble over (it might help if I didn’t fill the pan so high, but it’s gone so quickly that I have to make as much as possible)
Berry pies always bubbling and popping
Roasting a fat turkey always splatters grease all over my oven. The crisp skin makes it worth it though!
My favorite recipe that messes up my oven is duck. The juice always leaks.
My cherry pie
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