Description
A colorful and elegant baked penne pasta loaded with roasted seasonal vegetables, rich marinara sauce, and a blend of melted cheeses.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 red bell peppers (cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch strips)
- 2 zucchini (quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 2 summer squash (quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 4 cremini mushrooms (quartered)
- 1 yellow onion (peeled and sliced into 1-inch strips)
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian herb blend or herbes de Provence
- 1 pound penne or elicoidali pasta
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 1 cup grated microbial-rennet fontina cheese
- 1/2 cup grated microbial-rennet smoked mozzarella
- 1/4 cup grated microbial-rennet Parmesan (plus 1/3 cup for topping)
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas (thawed)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (cut into small pieces)
Instructions
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Roast: On a baking sheet, toss the bell peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onion with the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, and the herbs. Bake until tender, about 15 minutes.
- Boil: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Drain in a colander.
- Combine: In a large bowl, combine the pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, fontina, mozzarella, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, the peas, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Bake: Pour the pasta into a greased 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking dish. Top with the remaining 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese and the butter pieces. Bake until the top is golden and the cheese melts, about 25 minutes.
Notes
This dish is a crowd-pleaser and can be assembled in advance, making it convenient for hosting guests.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 56 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 610 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 950 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 68 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
Keywords: baked pasta, roasted vegetables, penne, vegetarian dinner, pasta bake