Cherry tomato, spinach and garlic mozzarella pasta bake

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 ovenproof 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.

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

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

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4 from 5 votes

Cherry tomato, spinach and garlic mozzarella pasta bake

Deliciously stringy, garlicy, cheesy pasta bake.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time55 mins

Course: Pasta meals

Cuisine: Italian

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

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 755kcal

Author: Emily Leary

Ingredients

• 400 g (14.1 oz) dried rigatoni
• 350 g (12.3 oz) cherry tomatoes
• 200 g (7.1 oz) frozen spinach
• 2 tsp garlic minced
• 1-2 tsp chilli flakes
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 250 g (8.8 oz) fresh mozzarella
• 100 g (3.5 oz) cheddar
• salt and pepper to taste

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 755kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 608mg | Potassium: 669mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 7112IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 594mg | 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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More great recipes to try

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

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