Name: Cherry Tomato, Spinach and Garlic Mozzarella Pasta Bake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 400 g dried rigatoni; 25 g slightly salted butter (plus a little to grease the dish); 350 g fresh cherry tomatoes (halved); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1-2 tsp chilli flakes; 200 g fresh spinach; 2-3 tbsp olive oil; 250 g fresh mozzarella (vegetarian if required, torn into inch pieces); 100 g grated/shredded cheddar cheese (vegetarian if required); 1 pinch salt and pepper (to taste); 20 g fresh breadcrumbs; 30 g Parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese alternative (finely grated)

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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

400 g (14 oz) dried rigatoni
25 g (2 tbsp) slightly salted butter plus a little to grease the dish
350 g (1¾ cups) fresh cherry tomatoes halved
2 cloves garlic minced
1-2 tsp chilli flakes
200 g (½ lb) fresh spinach
2-3 tbsp olive oil
250 g (8 oz) fresh mozzarella vegetarian if required, torn into inch pieces
100 g (½+⅓ cups) grated/shredded cheddar cheese vegetarian if required
1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
20 g (4 tbsp) fresh breadcrumbs
30 g (⅓ cup) Parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese alternative finely grated

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.

Butter melting in a pan surrounded by different ingredients required to make Cherry tomato, spinach and garlic mozzarella pasta bake.

The butter having been melted in the pan. Surrounded by Cherry tomato, spinach and garlic mozzarella pasta bake ingredients.

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

Some of the ingredients for the Cherry tomato, spinach and garlic mozzarella pasta bake being added to the pan.

Chopped cherry tomatoes in the pan having been cooked. The shot is taken overhead and the pan is surrounded by ingredients required to make the Butter melting in a pan surrounded by different ingredients required to make Cherry tomato, spinach and garlic mozzarella pasta bake.

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

Overhead shot of spinach in a pan surrounded by ingredients required to make the Butter melting in a pan surrounded by different ingredients required to make Cherry tomato, spinach and garlic mozzarella pasta bake.

Spinach and tomatoes having been cooked in a pan. These are two of the ingredients required to make the Butter melting in a pan surrounded by different ingredients required to make Cherry tomato, spinach and garlic mozzarella pasta bake.

Add the semi-cooked pasta.

Overhead shot of some semi cooked pasta in a pan.

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

Cheeses being added to the pan of semi cooked pasta. Surrounded by additional ingredients required to make the Butter melting in a pan surrounded by different ingredients required to make Cherry tomato, spinach and garlic mozzarella pasta bake.

The cooked ingredients for Cherry tomato, spinach and garlic mozzarella pasta bake mixed together.

Tip all of the pasta into a greased roasting tin.

Cherry tomato, spinach and garlic mozzarella pasta bake in a roasting tin.

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

Overhead shot of four small bowls of cheese.

Overhead shot of some bowls of cheese being mixed together.

Sprinkle evenly all over the pasta.

Sprinkling the cheese over the Cherry tomato, spinach and garlic mozzarella pasta bake in a tray pan.

Bake for 10 minutes until lightly golden.

The Cherry tomato, spinach and garlic mozzarella pasta bake having been baked in the oven.

Serve immediately.

Overhead shot of a decorative bowl with a serving of Cherry tomato, spinach and garlic mozzarella pasta bake alongside the pan and a side salad.

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

A fork going into the bowl of Cherry tomato, spinach and garlic mozzarella pasta bake. The bowl is sat alongside the pan with the remainder of the Cherry tomato, spinach and garlic mozzarella pasta bake alongside a side salad.

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4.2 from 6 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

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Emily Leary

Ingredients

400 g (14 oz) dried rigatoni
25 g (2 tbsp) slightly salted butter plus a little to grease the dish
350 g (1¾ cups) fresh cherry tomatoes halved
2 cloves garlic minced
1-2 tsp chilli flakes
200 g (½ lb) fresh spinach
2-3 tbsp olive oil
250 g (8 oz) fresh mozzarella vegetarian if required, torn into inch pieces
100 g (½+⅓ cups) grated/shredded cheddar cheese vegetarian if required
1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
20 g (4 tbsp) fresh breadcrumbs
30 g (⅓ cup) Parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese alternative finely grated

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, 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

* Note: nutritional information is estimated, based on publicly available data. Nutrient values may vary from those published. Information on this website should not be taken as medical advice. Cuisines identify the primary region of inspiration for a dish.

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Overhead shot of a decorarive bowl filled with Cherry tomato, spinach and garlic mozzarella pasta bake. Alongside the tray of the remaining bake and a side salad. At the top of the image there's some white text on a green background describing the image for Pinterest.

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Tomato, spinach and mozzarella pasta bake recipe

Ingredients

Equipment

Instructions

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