This dump-and-bake summer pasta is loaded with all of the season’s best produce — zucchini, corn, tomatoes, and fresh basil, as well as tender chicken, pesto, and cheese. You don’t even have to boil the noodles for this fresh, flavorful, and easy dinner!
Table of Contents
If you’re looking for even more dump-and-bake recipes, be sure to try this dump-and-bake meatball casserole, this pesto alfredo chicken pasta, a hot dog casserole, this easy lemon chicken orzo, and our favorite dump-and-bake sesame chicken noodles, too!
This recipe is amazing! And also easy to change up with whatever veggies we have on hand. We tried it earlier in the week and the whole family loved it! So happy I found your site. It has helped make dinner-time easy and stress free!
– Chelsea
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Easy. The dump-and-bake method of cooking definitely isn’t fancy, but it sure is convenient on busy evenings when you just don’t have the time, energy, or desire to spend hours in the kitchen. This summer pasta cooks entirely in a single dish! Just stir everything together and your job is done.
- A great way to get kids to eat their veggies. Thanks to familiar flavors like pasta, chicken, and a creamy Alfredo sauce, this is one of those great meals that appeals to everyone at the table. Your kids might even be willing to try something new (like zucchini or cherry tomatoes?!), since it’s all mixed together in a delicious creamy pesto sauce and topped with plenty of cheese.
- Versatile. Use the ingredients that you have on hand. For instance, if you’ve got leftover grilled chicken from a previous meal, put it to good use in this summer pasta bake. You can also play around with the veggies, adding what you enjoy and omitting what you don’t. For instance, use yellow summer squash instead of zucchini, or skip the tomatoes and replace it with extra corn. Broccoli florets are another good option.
Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for our favorite dump-and-bake summer pasta recipe. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Penne pasta: just the uncooked pasta, since the noodles will bake in the sauce in the pan while it’s in the oven. If you’re using a different shape pasta, you may need to adjust to the total baking time.
- Chicken: keep it quick and easy with a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Of course, you can boil your own chicken at home to use in this recipe. To do so, start with1 pound of raw, boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs. This will equal about 2 cups of cooked, shredded meat.
- Tomatoes, zucchini, corn, and basil: fresh summer vegetables! Use fresh corn, thawed frozen corn, or canned corn.
- Chicken broth: adds flavor to the pasta and creamy sauce as the ingredients cook together in the pan. Chicken stock also works well.
- Alfredo sauce: you’ll need a total of about 2 ½ cups (one very large 22-oz jar or 1 ½ 15-oz jars). Homemade Alfredo is also fine!
- White wine: for even richer flavor. If you don’t want to cook with wine, just sub with extra broth or water.
- Basil pesto: pick a store-bought pesto for convenience, or make your own homemade pesto when fresh basil is in season.
- Italian seasoning: a convenient blend of marjoram, basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and other herbs.
- Crushed red pepper flakes: for a spicy kick. If you don’t want a spicy casserole, omit this ingredient altogether.
- Garlic powder and onion powder: even more savory flavor.
- Cheese: I use a shredded Italian cheese blend, but shredded mozzarella also pairs nicely with the tomatoes and basil. You can use just about any cheese that you like. Try sharp cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack, Colby, Colby Jack, Gruyere, or Pepper Jack. Some extra crumbled feta would also go well with the tomatoes.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper: to enhance the other flavors in the dish.
Directions
We all need more easy summer dinner recipes! This quick dump-and-bake summer pasta dish is a healthy meal that takes advantage of the season’s best produce. You’ll love that you can stir it together quickly (no need to boil the pasta in a pot first!) — then get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather!
- Toss together the uncooked pasta, chicken, vegetables, and basil in a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
- Whisk together the broth, Alfredo, wine, pesto, and additional seasoning.
- Pour the sauce mixture over the pasta, chicken, and veggies. Make sure that everything is evenly distributed in the pan.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil.
- Bake the casserole in a 425°F oven for about 40 minutes, until the pasta is al dente.
- Uncover, sprinkle with cheese, and place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes. It’s done when the cheese melts and starts to brown on top.
- Serve in individual bowls and garnish with extra basil, fresh parsley, additional red pepper flakes, or grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the summer pasta with garlic bread, no-knead cast iron focaccia, a simple green salad with red wine vinaigrette, roasted broccoli, roasted asparagus, or this 3-ingredient roasted yellow squash.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: You can assemble the casserole a few hours in advance, or even leave it covered in the fridge overnight before baking. The pasta will start to soften and absorb some of the liquid as it sits, so you may need to decrease the baking time slightly. You don’t want to overcook the casserole or you’ll end up with gummy, mushy pasta.
- Storage: This casserole is best enjoyed immediately from the oven. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The pasta will dry out a bit as it sits, so you may need to stir in some additional Alfredo sauce or broth when you reheat the dish. Individual portions can be reheated in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes.
- I do not recommend freezing this casserole because pasta has a tendency to get gummy and mushy when thawed.
Tips for Success
- Total cooking time will vary depending on the type of pan that you use and your individual oven. Glass or ceramic baking dishes will take longer than metal pans, for instance. To know when your casserole is done, taste a bite of the pasta. The noodles should be tender and much of the liquid should be absorbed.
- Be careful not to overbake the casserole or the pasta will become mushy.
- This pasta is great for using up any leftover veggies that you might have on hand. Feel free to add broccoli florets, green beans, red peppers, chopped asparagus, peas, yellow summer squash, and more.
- Don’t have chicken? You can omit the meat altogether for a vegetarian dish (use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth). You might like to substitute with another protein like a can of white beans, bacon, Italian sausage, shredded turkey, or cooked ground beef. You can stir cooked shrimp into the dish at the very end.
- If you’re cooking for a smaller family, cut all of the ingredients in half. Bake the casserole in an 8-inch square dish.
Yummy! Ran across this recipe and it is amazing. My picky little girl ate zucchini!!! My family of 4 ate the whole casserole. I didn’t use corn and replaced the penne pasta with colorful rotini noodles made from vegetables. Thanks so much for sharing.
– Heather
More Easy Summer Dinners
Tortellini Salad with Chicken
30 minutes mins
Boursin Cheese Pasta with Summer Veggies
25 minutes mins
One-Skillet Peach Chicken
40 minutes mins
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Summer Pasta (Dump-and-Bake!)
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 42 minutes
Total: 52 minutes
This dump-and-bake summer pasta with corn, zucchini, tomatoes, and chicken is a quick, flavorful, and easy meal that the whole family will love!
Ingredients
- 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked penne pasta
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (such as the meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken)
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes (can substitute with a can of drained diced tomatoes)
- 1 small zucchini (about 1 cup), diced
- ½ cup corn kernels (fresh, canned, or frozen and thawed is fine)
- ¼ cup chopped or torn fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 (22 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce (or 1 ½ 15-ounce jars) (approximately 2 ½ cups total)
- ¼ cup white wine (or sub with extra broth or water)
- ¼ cup prepared basil pesto
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (use less or omit entirely if you don't like it spicy)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 cup (about 4 ounces) shredded Italian cheese blend or shredded mozzarella cheese
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In the prepared dish, combine the uncooked pasta, chicken, tomatoes, zucchini, corn, and basil.
- In a large bowl, whisk together chicken broth, Alfredo sauce, wine, pesto, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and onion powder. Pour over the pasta mixture in the dish and stir so that all of the ingredients are evenly distributed. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
- Uncover; stir gently with a fork. At this point you should check the pasta to make sure that it is al dente (tender but with a firm bite). If it’s still too hard, cover the dish and return it to the oven until the pasta is al dente. Then move on to the next step.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the top.
- Place the dish under the broiler (uncovered) for 1-2 minutes, just until the cheese melts and starts to get crispy on top. Watch the dish the entire time since the food can burn quickly under the broiler. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish with additional chopped fresh basil or other herbs and/or Parmesan cheese; serve.
Notes
The new and improved version of this recipe was updated in May, 2024. If you’re looking for the older version from 2017, you’ll find it below:
- 2 cups diced, cooked chicken
- 1 cup halved grape tomatoes (can substitute with a can of undrained diced tomatoes)
- 1 small zucchini (about 1 cup), diced
- ½ cup corn kernels (fresh, canned, or frozen is fine)
- 12 ounces (about 3 cups uncooked) uncooked penne pasta
- 3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 8 ounces (about 2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- ½ cup chopped or torn fresh basil leaves, divided
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In the prepared dish (or in a separate bowl), stir together cooked chicken, tomatoes, zucchini, corn, uncooked pasta, chicken broth, 1 ½ cups of mozzarella cheese, about half of the basil leaves, minced garlic, and salt.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
- Uncover; stir. At this point you should check the pasta to make sure that it is al dente (firm but just about finished cooking). If it’s still too hard, cover the dish and return to the oven until pasta is al dente. Then move on to the next step.
- Sprinkle remaining ½ cup of mozzarella over the top. Bake uncovered for 5-10 more minutes (or until cheese is melted and pasta is tender).
- Garnish with remaining basil leaves just before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/8th of the recipeCalories: 501kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 26gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 92mgSodium: 1066mgPotassium: 355mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 405IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 157mgIron: 2mg
This recipe was originally published in July, 2017. It was updated in May, 2024.
Love this recipe! but way too much broth left over. I would make this again but reduce the amount of broth for sure.
Thank you for your feedback, Alice! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe. If there is too much broth, your dish might need to bake a bit longer. Also, it tends to absorb a bit more after the dish has been removed from the oven. We hope this helps!
Absolutely AMAZING!!! Made exactly as directed ingredients wise and the whole family loved it! Making it a 3rd time tonight. I did have to bake it a little longer, but that was no problem at all.
We’re so happy to hear this, Ashley! Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave a review.
This dish was easy and delicious!! I added some julienned carrots and broccoli, too, since I had extra in the fridge. The only thing I didn’t like in this first batch was that even after tightly covering the 9×13 glass baking dish with foil the top noodles were crunchy and the bottom noodles were a bit too done. Will definitely make again!
Thank you, Beth! We’re so glad you enjoyed it. Are the noodles crunchy because they’re undercooked or overcooked? They may need a little more or less time in the oven. Also, make sure they’re well combined and covered with liquid! Hope that helps for next time.
This was such a hit at my house. I modified it a little, didn’t use chicken or tomatoes, and added squash. I will definitely be making this again.
We’re so glad you were able to make it work for you and that it was a hit!
Hi Blair,
Do you have the old version of this recipe without the Alfredo sauce. I made it a few weeks ago and was planning to make it today but noticed the recipe changed!
Hi, Maureen! Yes, I’m in process of updating the old post with what I believe is an even better version. 🙂 If you’d like to make the old recipe, it’s included in the notes section of the recipe card (just below the new recipe). Hope you’ll give them both a try!
I’m not a creative cook. This is why I like using recipes like yours, Blair. When I read the ingredient list for this dish, I could not fathom what this could possibly taste like. But I decided to try it. Our entire family LOVES it. It was a true surprise to me. I will DEFINITELY be making it again, and soon. A new recipe box KEEPER. Thank you so much. Keep it up!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Deborah! Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave a review.
Made this tonight with summer zucchini and corn I got at the farmer’s market and homemade Alfredo sauce. I think my Alfredo sauce made the overall sauce a bit thin, so next time I will adjust the amount of broth. Even so, this was amazing!! The mixture of veggies and rotisserie chicken with the delicious pesto sauce made every bite different and delicious. My husband went on and on about how good it was. This is definitely a keeper! Thank you for making me feel like a great cook!
Yay! I’m so glad that it was a hit, Brandy. Thanks for letting me know!
Hi there! I’m curious if you’ve tried making this with fresh Alfredo. I love my Alfredo recipe, but not sure it would turn out the same. It’s butter, garlic, heavy cream, cream cheese, and parm. What do you think? Thanks!
Hi Kelly! Homemade alfredo works great with this recipe. We hope you enjoy!
Made this tonight for my family. Husband and kids 8 & 9 gobbled it up. Chopped zucchini real small to disguise it from the picky kids. Great dish!!!!!!!
Thank you, Shannon! We’re so glad it was a hit!
I vegan-ized this, it was SO GOOD. I’m full and sleepy from a great meal.
We’re glad you were able to make it work for you, Shannon!
Love this! New favorite!
Awesome! Thanks, Laura!
Chicken w/penne pasta