Cherry tomato, spinach and garlic mozzarella pasta bake

Here’s a really simple mozzarella, tomato and spinach pasta bake that doesn’t take hundreds of pots and pans to make and looks impressive when served at the dinner table. 

A garlicky, cheesy pasta bake with spinach and refreshing bursts of ripe cherry tomatoes.

Here’s how to make this mozzarella pasta bake.

Ingredients

Equipment

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180C / 355F / 160C fan.

Boil the pasta in plenty of salted, boiling water for just 5 minutes until softening but still very firm. They’ll finish cooking in the oven. Drain and set aside.

Put the butter in a large pan over a medium heat and melt.

Add the cherry tomatoes, chilli flakes, garlic and a pinch of pepper and fry for 2 minutes until soft.

Add the fresh spinach and fry for a further 2 minutes until wilted.

Add the semi-cooked pasta.

Add the cheddar and mozzarella and toss together until evenly mixed.

Tip all of the pasta into a greased roasting tin.

In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan and a pinch of pepper.

Sprinkle evenly all over the pasta.

Bake for 10 minutes until lightly golden.

Serve immediately.

Enjoy! What will you serve with your mozzarella pasta bake?

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4.25 from 4 votes

Cherry tomato, spinach and garlic mozzarella pasta bake

A really simple mozzarella and spinach pasta bake that doesn’t take hundreds of pots and pans to make and looks impressive when served at the dinner table. Make this garlicky, cheesy pasta bake with spinach and refreshing bursts of ripe cherry tomatoes in under 30 minutes.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time55 mins

Course: Pasta meals

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: cherry tomatoes, garlic, mozzarella, pasta, pasta bake, spinach and mozzarella pasta bake

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 564kcal

Author: Emily Leary

Ingredients

• 400 g (14.1 oz) dried rigatoni
• 25 g slightly salted butter plus a little to grease the dish
• 350 g (12.3 oz) cherry tomatoes halved
• 2 (2 tsp) garlic cloves minced
• 1-2 tsp chilli flakes
• 200 g (7.1 oz) fresh spinach
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 250 g (8.8 oz) fresh mozzarella torn into inch pieces
• 100 g (3.5 oz) cheddar grated
• 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
• 20 g fresh breadcrumbs
• 30 g Parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese, finely grated

Equipment

• Large saucepan
• Colander
• Weighing scales
• Measuring spoons
• Large frying pan
• Kitchen knife
• Chopping board
• Grater
• Small mixing bowl

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180C / 355F / 160C fan.
• Boil the pasta in plenty of salted, boiling water for just 5 minutes until softening but still very firm. They'll finish cooking in the oven. Drain and set aside.
• Put the butter in a large pan over a medium heat and melt.
• Add the cherry tomatoes, chilli flakes, garlic and a pinch of pepper and fry for 2 minutes until soft.
• Add the fresh spinach and fry for a further 2 minutes until wilted.
• Add the semi-cooked pasta, cheddar and mozzarella and toss together until evenly mixed.
• Tip into a greased roasting tin.
• In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan and a pinch of pepper.
• Sprinkle evenly all over the pasta.
• Bake for 10 minutes until lightly golden.
• Serve immediately.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 564kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 548mg | Potassium: 523mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4102IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 451mg | Iron: 3mg

* Note: nutritional information is estimated, based on publicly available data. Nutrient values may vary from those published. Cuisines identify the primary region of inspiration for a dish.

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