A Mummy Too

Food and lifestyle for busy parents

Cherry tomato, spinach and garlic mozzarella pasta bake

Published on 5 March, 2014
Last Updated on 26 November, 2018 by 25 Comments

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A simple cherry tomato, spinach and garlic mozzarella pasta bake, shown in a baking dish

 

Here’s a really simple mozzarella 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

  • 400 g (14 oz) dried rigatoni
  • 350 g (12.5 oz) cherry tomatoes (a small box)
  • 200 g (7 oz) frozen spinach (1 1/2 handfuls)
  • 2 tsp mince garlic
  • 1-2 tsp chilli flakes
  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil
  • 250 g (9 oz) fresh mozzarella (1 large pack)
  • 100 g (3.5 oz) cheddar (a couple of handfuls)
  • seasoning to taste
  • a oven proof casserole dish or roasting tray

 

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C / 355F / 160C fan.
  2. Boil the pasta in plenty of salted, boiling water until al dente.
  3. Grease the oven dish with a little olive oil and add the drained pasta.
  4. Blast the spinach in the microwave for a couple of minutes until fully defrosted, then press in a sieve or colander to remove the excess moisture and add to the dish.
  5. Add the cherry tomatoes whole but squeezed as they go in to release the juice, then tear the mozzarella into inch pieces and add that too.
  6. Add the garlic and chilli flakes, then drizzle with the remaining olive oil and toss gently to evenly distribute the ingredients and season well with salt and pepper.
  7. Top with the grated cheddar.
  8. Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbling and golden in places.
  9. Serve hot while all the cheese is deliciously stringy – be careful, the tomatoes will be VERY hot inside.

 

Here’s the recipe for this cherry tomato, spinach and garlic mozzarella pasta bake again in a printable format.

Cherry tomato, spinach and garlic mozzarella pasta bake

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 4 -6
Author: Emily Leary
Deliciously stringy, garlicy, cheesy pasta bake.
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Metric - Ounces

Ingredients

  • 400 g dried rigatoni
  • 350 g cherry tomatoes (a small box)
  • 200 g frozen spinach (1 1/2 handfuls)
  • 2 tsp mince garlic
  • 1-2 tsp chilli flakes
  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil
  • 250 g fresh mozzarella (1 large pack)
  • 100 g cheddar (a couple of handfuls)
  • seasoning to taste
  • a oven proof casserole dish or roasting tray

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180C / 355F / 160C fan.
  • Boil the pasta in plenty of salted, boiling water until al dente.
  • Grease the oven dish with a little olive oil and add the drained pasta.
  • Blast the spinach in the microwave for a couple of minutes until fully defrosted, then press in a sieve or colander to remove the excess moisture and add to the dish.
  • Add the cherry tomatoes whole but squeezed as they go in to release the juice, then tear the mozzarella into inch pieces and add that too.
  • Add the garlic and chilli flakes, then drizzle with the remaining olive oil and toss gently to evenly distribute the ingredients and season well with salt and pepper.
  • Top with the grated cheddar.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbling and golden in places.
  • Serve hot while all the cheese is deliciously stringy - be careful, the tomatoes will be VERY hot inside.
* Note: nutritional information is estimated, based on publicly available data. Nutrient values may vary from those published.
Course: Pasta meals
Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: cherry tomatoes, garlic, mozzarella, pasta, pasta bake
Tried this recipe?Snap a pic and tag @amummytoo on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. I can't wait to see your posts!

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

 

PIN ME!

A garlic mozzarella pasta bake with tomatoes and spinach - a simple pasta dish that's easy to make at home #recipe #pasta #pastabake #mealplanning

 

For more delicious pasta meals, try this courgette and whole wheat pasta or my chunky keema pasta bake.

Get Your Kids to Eat Anything by Emily Leary

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Comments

  1. I made this tonight, but for some reason the pasta was very dry. I cooked them for 7-9 minutes, so I don’t know if that was considered “al dente” or not. I followed the recipe to a t, but can’t figure out what went wrong. My husband said it needed either more cheese, or some kind of sauce to make it more creamier. Other than that, great flavor!!

    Reply

    • Hi – sorry to hear that and I’m glad you enjoyed the flavour. I would say it typically takes about 10 minutes for most pasta to get to the al dente stage, so it sounds yours *may* have been a little undercooked. It definitely isn’t a saucy type pasta dish, but if you prefer your pasta that way, I would say try stirring a little cream cheese and a splash of milk. Thanks!

      Reply

  9. There is something so satisfying about a pasta bake. I can almost smell the garlic, melted cheeses and spinach in your post. Your photography always makes food look unbelievably tempting. Have pinned to eat next week :-)

    Reply

  22. Looks gorgeous and such a fabulously easy family meal. My daughter loves pasta bakes, cherry tomatoes and this sort of dish is generally a great way to sneak spinach into her. On my list for midweek dinners.

    Reply
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