This gluten free Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake recipe is made with roasted veggies, olives, and ricotta cheese. A great vegetarian dinner!
I'm kicking off my foray into the casserole world with this Roasted Veggie Pasta Bake. It's made with roasted vegetables like broccoli and bell peppers that are tossed in penne pasta along with a ricotta and spinach mixture and spaghetti sauce, topped with cheese, and baked until bubbly.
I must be 'officially an adult' now because I'm getting more and more into casseroles like this Tater Tot Hotdish. In the past my feelings toward them were kind of lukewarm but this winter I've started to embrace this most humble of dishes.
My husband and I purchased our first home almost a year ago and various family members have offered to pass down their old chest freezers now that we have a functioning basement and space to store it. And I've gotta say...I'm kinda excited about it.
Chest freezers are a great place to store meals like this Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake. The thought of having a stockpile of casseroles waiting for me in the basement to pop in the oven and heat up whenever I need it sounds downright amazing.
Now I'm not sure why I snubbed casseroles for all those years...
Jump to:
- What Vegetables Go In A Pasta Bake?
- How To Roast Vegetables
- Ingredients For Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake
- Prepare The Ricotta Mixture
- How To Make Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake
- What Kind Of Gluten Free Pasta Is Best?
- Can I Use Regular Pasta If I'm Not Gluten Free?
- How Long Does Pasta Bake Take To Cook?
- What To Serve With Vegetarian Pasta Bake
- Can I Freeze Vegetable Pasta Bake?
- How Long Does It Last In The Fridge?
- Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake (Gluten Free)
What Vegetables Go In A Pasta Bake?
There are no hard and fast rules as to which vegetables to use in a pasta bake - You can really use any kind of veggies you like.
The vegetables in this pasta bake are roasted. Roasting the veggies brings out their natural sweetness and adds a nice depth of flavor to the dish.
The roasting process only takes about 15 minutes and the result is totally worth the effort!
I roast vegetables ALL the time and love to make things like Roasted Maple Mustard Brussels Sprouts, Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower, and Herb Roasted Potatoes.
If you've never roasted broccoli then you're in for a treat - It's one of my favorite vegetables to roast because the edges become caramelized. The bell peppers become even sweeter when roasted which pairs nicely with the acidity from the spaghetti sauce.
How To Roast Vegetables
- Start by heating the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cut a bell pepper (any color) into chunks.
- Cut a head of broccoli into florets (yields 4-5 cups). Try to make sure the pieces are relatively even in size.
- Place the broccoli florets and peppers onto a baking sheet. You will likely need two baking sheets to fit all the veggies - It's important that they aren't too crowded or they will steam instead of roast.
- Drizzle the veggies with 3 Tbsp. of olive oil and sprinkle them with ¼ tsp. kosher salt and pepper.
- Pop the baking sheet(s) in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Remove when finished and set aside.
Ingredients For Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake
Here's what you'll need to make it.
- 1 Head Broccoli (yields 4-5 cups chopped)
- 1 Bell Pepper (any color)
- 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- ½ tsp. each Kosher Salt and Pepper (split)
- 1 cup Ricotta Cheese
- 2 cups Spinach
- 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
- 1 12 oz. box Gluten Free Penne Pasta (can use regular penne pasta if not gluten free)
- 1 24 oz. jar Spaghetti Sauce
- ½ cup pitted Kalamata Olives
- 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese
Prepare The Ricotta Mixture
One of the elements that makes this Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake so darn tasty is the ricotta mixture that is added to the noodles.
Ricotta is an Italian cheese that's kind of light, fluffy, and spongy. It's often added to lasagna and makes this vegetable pasta bake taste a lot like Vegetable Lasagna (but only takes a fraction of the time and energy to make).
You can find ricotta cheese in the dairy section of most grocery stores nowadays.
It's doesn't have a strong flavor but it adds a nice creaminess without being too heavy. Ricotta is a little bit like cottage cheese.
How To Prepare Ricotta Mixture
- Finely chop 2 cups of fresh spinach.
- Place 1 cup of Ricotta cheese to a small bowl.
- Add 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, and ¼ tsp. kosher salt and pepper to the ricotta. Stir until combined.
- Add the chopped spinach to the bowl and fold it into the ricotta mixture. It might seem like a lot of spinach but it will wilt down as its combined.
How To Make Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake
The nice thing about this dish is that all the elements can be prepared at the same time. Once they're all finished they get tossed together in a baking dish and baked in the oven until cooked through.
The ricotta mixture can be prepared as the vegetables are roasting in the oven. The pasta is cooked on the stove top at this time as well.
- Prepare 1 12 oz. package of gluten free Penne noodles on the stove top according to package directions. Do not cook them completely - Drain while they are still al dente so they do not become soggy as they bake.
- Return the drained noodles to the pot on the stove top and add 1 24 oz. jar of spaghetti sauce to the noodles. Toss the noodles in the sauce until combined.
- Spray a 9x13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Pour the noodles and sauce into the baking dish.
- Add the roasted vegetables on top of the noodles and fold them in with a wooden spoon.
- Dot the top of the noodles with the ricotta mixture and carefully fold it into the noodles.
- Add ½ cup of chopped Kalamata olives and fold them into the noodles.
What Kind Of Gluten Free Pasta Is Best?
Gluten free pasta is not all created equal. Some brands of gluten free pasta become mushy when they are cooked.
My favorite brands for this kind of dish are Jovial, Tinkyada, or Barilla - They holds up nicely when boiled, has a great taste and texture, and does not turn into mush.
Can I Use Regular Pasta If I'm Not Gluten Free?
Absolutely!
Feel free to use your favorite brand of penne (or any variety of short pasta) in place of gluten free pasta if gluten is not an issue for you.
How Long Does Pasta Bake Take To Cook?
Once all of the ingredients are nestled into the casserole dish pop it into the oven. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit before placing it in the oven (the vegetables are roasted at 400 degrees Fahrenheit but this casserole cooks at 375 degrees).
- Bake for 20 minutes uncovered. After 20 minutes remove from oven and top with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and ½ cup Parmesan cheese.
- Return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is hot and bubbly.
- Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, and serve.
You can add more or less cheese if you like. I love the mozzarella because it melts nicely and the Parmesan gives it a little bite.
You can customize the cheese(s) to your liking.
What To Serve With Vegetarian Pasta Bake
This dish is so hearty and comforting - It's absolutely bursting with vegetables. It can definitely be served on its own but a salad like this pickled beet feta salad, Italian green bean salad, marinated tomato salad or minty pea and almond salad would be perfect alongside it.
A light side dish like garlicky roasted green beans is always nice.
Anything with Mediterranean flavors like Kalamata olive tapenade or roasted mushroom tapenade would be a great pairing.
Of course, garlic bread or crusty Italian bread is always a winner.
Do I Need To Add Kalamata Olives?
You don't HAVE to add the Kalamata olives to this dish if you don't care for them - Green or black olives may be substituted or you can leave them out altogether.
I think the brininess of the olives provides a nice contrast to the richness of the cheese and really drives home the Mediterranean flavors but they're not absolutely necessary.
Love pasta? Check out these recipes!
- Vegetarian Mediterranean Pasta
- Easy Chicken Marsala Pasta
- Leek Pancetta Pasta
- Mushroom and Olive Pasta
- One Pot Vegetarian Pasta
- Garden Vegetable Lasagna
Can I Freeze Vegetable Pasta Bake?
One of the reasons I was so excited about this Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake is that it can be frozen. I'm clearing out a spot in the basement for that chest freezer specifically so I can store meals like this one in it!
How To Freeze
- Prepare the pasta bake according to the directions but leave off the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Allow the ingredients to all come down to room temperature before freezing.
- Wrap the pasta bake tightly in plastic and store in a freezer-safe pan or container. Label with the date and store up to 3 months.
How To Reheat
- Transfer the frozen pasta bake to the fridge and allow to defrost for 24 hours.
- Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit until hot in the center (it may take 30-45 minutes). Add the mozzarella and Parmesan 5 minutes before pasta is finished cooking.
- To reheat the pasta bake from frozen remove any plastic wrap and place in an oven heated to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure to use a freezer-to-oven safe pan if you do this.
- Bake for 45 minutes or so or until the center is hot. Add the mozzarella and Parmesan 5 minutes before finished baking.
How Long Does It Last In The Fridge?
This dish should last 3-4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Make sure to allow the dish to come to room temperature before transferring to the refrigerator for storage.
It's a great meal to make and enjoy throughout the week!
Love this Italian flavors? Check out these recipes!
- Mushroom Arugula Pizza
- Tuscan Vegetable Soup
- Lemon Pea Risotto
- Baked Eggplant Parmesan
- Spinach Basil Pesto
- Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
- Arugula Pesto Tomato Pizza
- Kale Pancetta Pasta
- Spinach Basil Pasta Sauce
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Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake (Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 4-5 cups broccoli florets
- 1 bell pepper any color
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- ½ tsp. kosher salt split
- ½ tsp. pepper split
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 12 oz. package gluten free penne pasta or regular penne pasta if not gluten free
- 1 24 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
- ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Roast The Vegetables:
- Cut a bell pepper (any color) into chunks and cut a head of broccoli into florets (yields 4-5 cups). Try to make sure the pieces are relatively even in size.
- Place the broccoli florets and bell peppers on two baking sheets. (Make sure they are not too crowded). Drizzle with 3 Tbsp. olive oil and sprinkle with ¼ tsp. kosher salt and pepper.
- Place the baking sheets in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Prepare The Ricotta Mixture:
- Finely chop 2 cups of fresh spinach.
- Place 1 cup of Ricotta cheese to a small bowl. Add 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, and ¼ tsp. kosher salt and pepper to the ricotta. Stir until combined.
- Add the chopped spinach to the bowl and fold it into the ricotta mixture.
Prepare The Pasta:
- Prepare 1 12 oz. package of gluten free Penne noodles (or regular Penne if not GF) on the stove top according to package directions. Do not cook them completely – Drain while they are still al dente so they do not become soggy as they bake.
- Return the drained noodles to the pot on the stove top and add 1 24 oz. jar of spaghetti sauce to the noodles. Toss the noodles in the sauce until combined.
Assemble and Bake Pasta:
- Spray a 9x13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.
- Pour the noodles and sauce into the baking dish.
- Add the roasted vegetables on top of the noodles and fold them in with a wooden spoon.
- Dot the top of the noodles with the ricotta mixture and carefully fold it into the noodles.
- Add ½ cup of chopped Kalamata olives and fold them into the noodles.
- Place the pasta bake and cook uncovered for 20 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove after 20 minutes and top with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and ½ cup Parmesan cheese. Return to oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
- Remove from oven, allow to cool slightly, and serve.
Kay
This looks stunning, I love all the cheese in it! I have pinned it to try next week!
Christine
Awesome - I hope you enjoy! 🙂
Michelle Carter
This was amazing and kind of fun to make. Seems like a perfect thing to freeze which I did with the leftovers. Thanks for sharing an amazing recipe.
Christine
Hi Michelle - So glad to hear you enjoyed it! It's always nice to have leftovers waiting for us in the freezer! 🙂
Michelle Carter
Yes. Lovely. I had some mushrooms in the fridge so I added them but lovely recipe as it is. Thanks for sharing!