Delicious oven baked pasta made with a tasty tomato sauce for the perfect 30-minute dinner! This easy oven baked pasta recipe is great for all and the perfect way to get your veggies in.
Pasta is that recipe that saves any meal. Not only because it’s a quick and easy recipe to make. But also because everyone likes it. There will be very few people who refuse a delicious pasta dish.
Boiling a pasta and adding a tasty sauce is enough to have a complete meal. We can make pasta recipes with sauce in the pot, or in stir-fries. We can also use the cooked pasta in cold salads or make an incredibly delicious pasta in the oven.
That’s what I did this time. A very simple recipe that doesn’t take any work to cook. Just put the ingredients on the tray and the oven finishes the recipe.
What is your favourite pasta recipe?
No doubt this will be a multiple answer question. At least for me, it is! I love a beautiful pasta with Spinach and Basil Pesto sauce, or a creamy and tasty lasagne. I can’t live without a plate of Pasta al Limone with Burrata... well… I really like pasta and I have some difficulty putting only one recipe on the first place.
Pasta is a typically Italian dish but adopted and loved by all. There are restaurants with successful recipes on the menu. But there are also delicious homemade recipes that delight everyone at home. Sometimes you can follow written recipes, others you can just add your favourite ingredients. The truth is that whatever the pasta, it will always be a success.
How to cook the perfect pasta?
First of all, we already know that baking pasta is a very simple procedure. However, getting the result to be just the right amount of cooked pasta can be a bit tricky. To make the process a little more difficult, there are many varieties of pasta, with different sizes, shapes, colours, flavours and ingredients used.
My advice is to follow the cooking times indicated on the package. Once it ends, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Or, serve immediately. That way, you’ll always have your pasta “al dente”.
Types of pasta
Most types of pasta you find on the market are made from durum wheat, but there are some with eggs, vegetables and wholemeal. You will also find an increasing versatility when it comes to pasta. From gluten-free pasta, or pasta made with legume flours such as lentils, peas or chickpeas, or even rice or corn. In fact, nowadays there is a huge variety, which also allows us to vary our recipes even more.
Then there are also fresh pasta dishes, often used for lasagne or ravioli.
This Oven Baked Pasta
This is a recipe that is definitely going to be a winner. It is a very simple and quick recipe to make. And no, you don’t need to prepare the sauce beforehand. Just put all the ingredients in the saucepan and bake it in the oven. Brilliant, isn’t it?!
It’s also a delicious but very healthy recipe, besides having no added fat, it’s perfect to add the vegetables we like the most, or those that are in the fridge and need to be consumed.
The result is an incredible creamy pasta, with a crispy crust. Very similar to lasagne, but much simpler to prepare.
Although I didn’t add any animal protein in this recipe, it’s still a complete meal. It has the mushrooms and cheese which make the recipe more balanced and nutritionally rich. However, you can always add a protein of your preference. For example, minced meat, chicken, tofu or pulses, such as lentils or chickpeas. They will definitely make this recipe even more delicious.
Oven Baked Pasta for Valentine’s day or any other day
This pasta is perfect for any meal. However, I have to admit it’s perfect for the most romantic day of the year.
It’s a very simple recipe to cook but will make any table shine. You won’t even need candles! It’s the perfect equation: quick, easy and delicious!
Instead of going to crowded restaurants, you can open a bottle of wine and prepare this recipe together in the comfort of your own home. It’s fun and very romantic to prepare a meal together, particularly this special meal.
It’s winter and no doubt this dish is perfect for Valentine’s Day dinner. A pasta dish that takes no work at all to prepare and the result is absurdly delicious! Creamy, crunchy and delicious! Who’s going to deny it?!
Some suggestions for a cozy valentine’s day:
- Cook together
- Play board games
- Cuddle in the couch with a nice movie and popcorn
- Make a nice valentines cakes
How to make this Oven Baked Pasta?
For this recipe you’ll need:
- Spaghetti
- Onion
- Tomato
- Mushrooms
- Spinach
- Salt
- Pepper
- Red wine
- Tomato sauce
- Mozzarella cheese
- Cheddar cheese
- Basil
Tips for the perfect Oven Baked Pasta:
- Make sure that it has enough liquid, then the pasta can cook.
- The pasta should be on the bottom because we want it to cook properly without burning.
- Add the cheese in the last 5/10min then it melts nicely without burning.
Find the pasta that suits you better:
I used spaghetti in this recipe, but it works perfectly well with other types of pasta, such as mafaldine. I even believe it should be amazing with pene or rigatoni.
The secret of a recipe is to adapt it to the tastes of the person who will eat it. Use the pasta or vegetables you like best.
Find out more delicious recipes:
Now, find the full recipe and make your special days even romantic.
Oven Baked Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 portions Spaghetti
- 1/2 Onion
- 1 Tomato
- A handful of Mushrooms
- A handful of Spinach
- A pinch of Salt
- A pinch of pepper Pepper
- 1/4 cup red wine Red wine
- 1 can of Tomato sauce (I used crushed peeled tomatoes)
- 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
- Basil to decorate/sprinkle on top
Instructions
- On a baking tray, place the ingredients in layers.
- Begin with pasta, onion, tomato, mushrooms, spinach.
- Then add the salt and pepper and mix a little to spread out the seasonings.
- Add the wine and then the tomato sauce and mix everything together.
- If needed add a bit of water. This step will depend on how watery your tomato sauce is. Alternatively, you can add a little more wine.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 200°C for 30 to 40 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and add the cheeses. Bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, and the last 2 or 3 minutes can be done on the grill to give it that toasted look.Sprinkle with basil and serve.
Notes
- You can use oregano or thyme for flavouring, when you add the salt and pepper.
- Add some chicken, minced meat or other protein just after the layer of pasta.
- Other cheeses also work as well, for example fresh mozzarella balls, cottage cheese or even a crumbled gorgonzola on top.
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