Easy and healthy comfort food for dinner tonight, this simple Vegetable Pasta Bake is a long-time vegetarian favorite in our house! It's an easy way to eat lots of veggies because they're loaded with flavor and surrounded by molten melty cheese.
1largeonion1 pound, halved and sliced into 1/4" slices
8ouncescrimini mushroomscleaned and sliced, about 10
1tbspfresh rosemarychopped, or 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
25ouncejar pasta sauceI used tomato basil, see notes
4cupsbaby spinachroughly chopped, 4 ounces
12ouncesdried pastaI used 100% brown rice penne
12ouncesfresh mozzarellacut into 1/2" chunks
Instructions
Preheat a large 12" skillet over medium heat, and preheat the oven to 450ºF.
Add the olive oil and sliced onion to the preheated skillet. Sauté the onions until they caramelize, about 20 minutes. Don't be tempted to turn up the heat, the onions won't properly caramelize over high heat.
While the onions are cooking, prepare the rest of the ingredients. When the onions are done, add the mushrooms and rosemary to the pan and cook over medium-high heat just until the mushrooms begin to soften.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta until it has softened but is firmer than you would usually cook it, about 4 minutes less than the cooking time listed on the box.
Add the pasta sauce to the veggies, and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Then add the spinach, stir to combine, and remove it from the heat.
Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Stir to combine and then add about 1/3 of the fresh mozzarella cubes. Mix thoroughly, then transfer the pasta into a deep dish 11" x 7" baking dish.
Top with the remaining mozzarella and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese begins to bubble and brown.
Serve immediately.
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Notes
You can also use 1-28 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes blended into a sauce. You'll need to simmer it for 5 minutes in the skillet with the onions and mushrooms and season to taste with salt.