Roasted Vegetable Baked Pasta

Am I the only one who buys an abundance of vegetables and then finds them rotting before I have a chance to get to them all? Well, I found a solution for that: vegetable pasta! I just roast up all those glorious vegetables that are about to go bad, toss them with a creamy, cheesy pasta combo and bake it. Easy peasy!

Roasting the vegetables gives them a ton of extra flavor and adds a lot of depth to the pasta. Instead of traditional baked pasta with a simple marinara and Mozzarella sauce, I've added Ricotta, Romano and Parmesan cheeses to make it extra creamy and delicious. And of course--yet another meal that Bradley devoured without even knowing I packed vegetables in. I'm beginning to think maybe he does know, but just doesn't care :) Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (16 oz.) box penne pasta
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1 medium onion, sliced thin
• 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced thin then halved
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thin then halved
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tsp. garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cups marinara sauce, homemade or store-bought
• 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 cup Romano cheese, grated
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, divided
• 1 cup part-skim Ricotta cheese
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13" baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, mushrooms and garlic on top. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. 

Place vegetables under a broiler and cook for 7 minutes, tossing every couple minutes, until vegetables begin to brown.

Remove vegetables from oven and place in a large bowl. Add marinara sauce, Mozzarella, Romano, 1/2 cup Parmesan, Ricotta, salt, pepper and cooked pasta. Stir to combine. 

Pour pasta mixture into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and begins to brown.

Source: SK Original