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 made this pasta twice this week because we love it! It’s so easy and delicious!
This is so good! Creamy, cheesy and full of flavor!
This pasta bake sounds so tasty and packed with so much flavor! I think I’m switching our menu for tonight for dinner. So excited to give this a try!
Completely delicious. the flavors are bright and rich. The key is the fresh basil for sure!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! :)
This was amazing! Thanks for the great family recipe!
Our family loves this recipe. So good! I’ll be adding this to our dinner menu often.
This looks so delicious! Adding it to my menu!!
Hope you enjoy! :)
Oh, this recipe looks right up my alley. It has everything I love it in. I am going to add this to my meal plan next month so I can give it a try.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!!
Amazing! Followed the recipe – didn’t change a thing
So glad you enjoyed these! :)
This sounds delicious
This was amazingly delicious…the WHOLE family ate it..which is rare with 2 picky girls….super easy too which is always a winner :) thanks for sharing!!!
I love this recipe! But I made a little adjustment.. I added GROUND BEEF! It made it so so so much more delicious! Thank you!!
We have pasta on Wednesdays and I’ve been trying to get away from always having meat sauce, meatballs, lasagna or alfredo…so I’ve been pulling new stuff off of Pinterest. I’m so glad I tried your easy recipe! Even though it is NOT tomato season so the wee tomatoes were low on flavor, it was still yummy. In the summer, when tomatoes are peaking, this will be even better. I did use around 8oz of mozz…but who’s counting?
Thank you for sharing your recipe :-)
this looks so good and easy. I’m looking for ways to use my garden tomatoes and this will be yummy, thanks
for how many persons is this recipe?
It should serve 4-6 people. :)
Made this last night…LOVED it!! Thanks :)
Oh I’m so happy you loved it Steph! Thanks for commenting! :)
2 ounces of mozzarella is not very much? is this supposed to be 2 cups?
Hi! I usually use between 2-5 ounces depending on how much I have on hand! The more cheese the better though! :)
Could you put chicken in this?
Yes definitely, I think it would be amazing! :)