• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Petite Cook™ logo

  • Recipes
  • Italian Recipes
  • Lifestyle
  • Cookbooks
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Cookbooks
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Press
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Cookbooks
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
    • Press
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Pasta Recipes

    Caprese Pasta Bake

    Published: Jan 7, 2018 · Modified: Jul 1, 2020 by Andrea

    Jump to Recipe

    This vegetarian Caprese Pasta Bake is simple yet satisfying, great for a weeknight supper - Made with simple ingredients and ready in just 30 min!

    This simple Caprese Pasta Bake is all packed with fresh Italian flavours, and delivered in a hearty baked version.

    wooden spoon holding cheesy pasta over a pan filled with caprese pasta bake

    This is one of my go-to meals when I feel a little under the weather, and I find myself craving comfort food, something heart-warming, easy to make and with simple ingredients.

    And this Caprese Pasta Bake certainly fits the bill!

    Ingredients

    This recipe is ready in just 30 min, it's conveniently vegetarian and made with simple every-day ingredients from the Italian cuisine:

    • pasta
    • marinara sauce
    • cherry tomatoes
    • fresh mozzarella
    • basil

    For the sauce, I've used a simple 5-min marinara sauce, which reminds me of the freshness of the tomatoes of the caprese salad.

    But if you have a little more time on hand, you could also swap it with my classic Italian tomato sauce for a more hearty flavour.

    italian tomato sauce in a pan with a wooden spoon.

    Instructions

    This Caprese Pasta Bake comes together so effortlessly easy, that you'll have lovely meal ready to share with the whole family before you know it.

    All you have to do is cook the pasta until al dente, mix it with the sauce, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and basil, and bake it in the oven until the cheese is nicely melted and your kitchen smells amazing.

    wooden spoon holding cheesy pasta over a pan filled with caprese pasta bake

    Once your baked pasta is ready, spoon the steaming pasta into large bowls, sprinkle with extra basil, and get ready to devour it in less than a blink.

    My favourite thing about this Caprese Pasta Bake is that is as simple as it sounds, making an ideal dinner for busy people (especially if you're a new mum like me).

    You really can't go wrong with cheese, pasta, and sauce baked to perfection!

    caprese pasta bake in a large baking pan, topped with mozzarella and basil leaves

     

    More pasta bake recipes to try:

    • Easy Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake
    • Vegetarian Lasagna with No-Cook White Sauce
    • Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Pasta Shells

    Did you make this recipe?

    Please let me know how you liked it! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #thepetitecook! Looking at your pictures always makes me smile *and super hungry*!

    caprese pasta bake in a large baking pan, topped with mozzarella and basil leaves
    Print SaveSaved!
    4.75 from 4 votes

    Caprese Pasta Bake

    Prevent your screen from going dark
    This vegetarian Caprese Pasta Bake is simple yet satisfying, great for a weeknight supper - Made with simple ingredients and ready in just 30 min!
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time25 mins
    Course: Vegetarian
    Cuisine: Italian
    Serving: 4
    Author: Andrea Soranidis

    Ingredients

    • 400 g penne rigate pasta
    • 400 g homemade marinara sauce
    • handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
    • handful of fresh basil leaves, roughly teared
    • 250 g fresh mozzarella, drained and finely cubed
    • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

    Instructions

    • Heat oven to 180C/360F and arrange a baking tray into the middle shelf.
    • Cook the pasta in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water. Cook the pasta until just al dente, about 4 min shorter than cooking time instructions.
    • Drain pasta, and mix it with the marinara sauce, tomatoes, half the mozzarella, basil and olive oil. Toss all ingredients together, season accordingly, then spoon evenly into a large ovenproof dish.
    • Top the pasta with remaining mozzarella. Place in the oven and cook until cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.
    • Top with the remaining basil and serve immediately.

    Notes

    Store leftovers of this caprese pasta bake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
    Did you try this recipe? Tag @thepetitecook or use the hashtag #thepetitecook - Looking at your pictures makes my day!

    The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

     

    More Pasta Recipes

    • Bucatini Pomodoro
    • Duck Ragu' - Ragu' d'Anatra
    • Romanesco Pasta
    • Pasta with Peas (Pasta e Piselli)
    1057 shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Yummly

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Akhil M says

      April 29, 2020 at 7:49 pm

      Wow, I'm already drooling. Thanks a ton for this recipe. I'm sharing this to my colleagues. 🙂

      Reply
    2. Anand says

      January 21, 2018 at 5:36 am

      It tasted fantastic. Thank you so much !!

      Reply
    3. Adele says

      January 12, 2018 at 4:37 am

      Definitely going to try out this dish. Definitely has my mouth watering!

      Reply
      • Andrea says

        January 13, 2018 at 9:22 am

        YAY! Hope you'll like it as much as I do!

        Reply
    4. Scotch & Stilettos says

      January 10, 2018 at 2:36 pm

      This looks so delicious! I love pasta and anything that makes it feel like Summer indoors when it's grey outside is always a great idea! Especially when it's quick and simple to make as well.

      Ellie

      Reply
      • Andrea says

        January 11, 2018 at 7:20 am

        Couldn't agree more! 🙂

        Reply
    5. coffeeandmarble says

      January 10, 2018 at 10:40 am

      This sounds amazing, thanks for sharing! I've printed it for my next grocery trip!

      Reply
      • Andrea says

        January 11, 2018 at 7:21 am

        Hope it turns out just as good as mine did! Let me know your feedback 🙂

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    About Andrea

    Andrea Soranidis, founder of The Petite Cook.


    Welcome to my kitchen!
    I’m Andrea, I'm Italian, and I absolutely LOVE cooking.
    Grab a fork and join me!
    READ MORE ABOUT ME…

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Follow us

    The Petite Cook™

    Quick and Easy Italian Recipes Anyone Can Cook


    About Andrea

    Privacy Policy

    Work with us

    Terms

    Press

    Nutrition Disclaimer

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 The Petite Cook. The Petite Cook® is a registered trademark.