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.
What a pretty pasta, Blair! I love how you combined fresh produce and comfort food. You’re so right…summer doesn’t mean giving up comfort foods, and this looks like the perfect dish. I love all of your dump and bake meals!
Thanks, Gayle! Veggies are the best way to lighten up a cozy comfort food dish, and this one definitely delivers. 🙂
My family has loved all of the other Dump-and-Bake dishes that I’ve made, and it seems like you guys have too! What’s not to love, right? You don’t even have to boil the pasta or prep any ingredients, and the noodles come out tender and perfect every time!
Hi, Lisa! Thanks so much for stopping by! I agree — dump-and-bake dinners are life changing! Definitely the easiest way to “cook”! 🙂
These look yummy!! Thanks!!
Thanks, Brenda! I hope that you have a chance to try it!
This a keeper dish will be making this one real soon thanks for the lovely recipes you put out here for everyone to try
Hi, Kat! Thank you so much! I hope that you enjoy the dish, and I appreciate your note! 🙂
I made this and the flavors were really great! Mine came out very soupy which is not what I was expecting with a bake, did I do something wrong?
Hi, Sam! I like there to be some sauce with the pasta so that it’s not too dry, but I wouldn’t say it should be soupy. If the pasta was cooked through and tender, it should have absorbed the majority of the liquid in the dish as it cooked. I’m not sure what (if anything) you did wrong, but you can certainly test it with a little bit less liquid next time and see if that works better for you. If it’s too dry as it’s cooking, you can always add more liquid towards the end. Hope that helps!
I tried this recipe and the entire family loved it! I wanted to make it a bit creamier. I was wondering if I could add a little bit of Alfredo sauce to this dish. I also wanted to know that if I added spinach, if it would cook the same. Thanks!
Hi, Courtney! I’m so glad that your family enjoyed it! Yes, you can definitely use Alfredo sauce in this dish for a richer, creamier consistency. You can add spinach at the beginning, but it will definitely cook down a lot and get really dark. If you prefer a brighter green spinach, I’d wait and stir it in during the final 10 minutes (before adding the cheese on top). Baby spinach wilts almost instantly when it hits the hot pasta. Hope that helps!
Yum, my whole family loved this, and my college age son asked me to put it in the recipe pile he is taking back to school next month. I used elbow macaroni, which is what I had. Next time, I think I will double the zucchini (or add a yellow squash). I also used fresh rosemary in lieu of basil, because again that’s what I had on hand. It was really delicious and very easy. Thanks!
Hi, Teresa! Thanks so much for letting me know. Your version sounds perfect, and it’s always high praise when the kids approve too! 🙂
Hi Blair: I made this dish for dinner last night, and it was FANTABULOUS! I used Whole Grain Penne Rigate’, and I also added in an 8 oz. can of (drained) mushroom stems & pieces,, since my family loves mushrooms. I served this dish with a tossed Italian salad, and I gotta tell ya….it received RAVE REVIEWS from my (fussy) family! It’s now on my ‘Rotation List’ . Thanks for yet another delicious recipe.
Hi, Angela! That’s so great! I’m glad to know that the whole grain pasta works as well, since I hadn’t tested it myself and I thought it might need a longer cooking time. I’m thrilled that your family enjoyed the meal too! 🙂
Hi,
We love this recipe! My neighbor just had a baby and I’d like to make it as a freezer meal for her; do you think it would work to bake it—freeze—reheat?
Hi, Sarah! I’m so glad that you like it! Yes, I think that will work well! As with any other pasta casserole, the noodles may have a slightly different texture when thawed, but it should still work well. 🙂
300 calories per serving is actually really impressing when it comes to a pasta dish. This will be a super dinner throughout the week!
I agree, Kelly! Thanks to so many healthy veggies and lean protein, this pasta dish isn’t one that will weigh you down! 🙂
If u don’t add the chicken , do you have to do anything different??? Sounds delicious but I don’t eat chicken
Hey, Tiffany! Nope, you don’t have to do anything differently. You can replace it with a can of drained, rinsed beans if you prefer, or just leave it out entirely. The cooking instructions should still be the same! 🙂
Has anyone tried no chicken? i’m wondering if i should just leave it out (vegetarian) , is there a type of bean you suggest?
I haven’t tried it, Kimberly, but it should work just fine! You could add a can of drained and rinsed garbanzo beans if you want some added protein, but I don’t think that it’s necessary. 🙂
What a terrific use of fresh ingredients! Mind if I distribute copies at a Farmer’s Market? I will highlight your website so everyone will be able to find your page.
That’s no problem. Thanks for checking, and thanks for sharing it with your friends!
This was a hit Round our table and we’re making it for a second time already. Any thoughts on how well this would freeze after being baked?
Awesome! I love that your family enjoyed it! Thanks for letting me know, Melissa!
I honestly don’t know how it would freeze. It should be fine, but the texture of the pasta might be slightly off? I haven’t tried it myself. 🙂
Wow, can’t wait to try it! Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe. “Dump and Bake” is a great concept.
Thanks, Richard! It’s the best way to make a casserole! ENjoy. 🙂
Love it!!! Thanks for these awesome ‘dump and bake’ recipes. Please keep them coming ????
I’m so glad that you enjoy them, Dorianne! I have many, many more similar dump and bake recipes coming soon!
I admit I was a skeptic; would the pasta truly cook well, would it be watery, would it be bland. Oh, but there was no need to worry! This is an amazing dish I will be making again soon. And, the leftovers, I think will be good cold over salad greens, too. Very flavorful and easy. Love using my fresh veggies and herbs! Thanks!
Excellent! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it, Danielle!!! 🙂
Is it supposed to turn out watery?
Hi, Brittany! No, the pasta should absorb most of the liquid in the dish as it bakes in the oven. You want a little bit of thickened “sauce” in the dish so that it’s not too dry at the end, but it shouldn’t be soupy and watery.
Sounds delicious! Do you think this would work as a freezer meal?
Hi, Megan! Since you’re dealing with uncooked pasta, I think it’s best to throw it together just before baking. I’ve never tried it as a freezer meal, but I would worry that the pasta would start to absorb some of the liquid and might have a funny texture after thawing. Just a guess, though, since I haven’t actually experimented. 🙂
If you’re looking for some quick dump-and-bake freezer meals, definitely check out this post: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/5-dump-bake-freezer-meals/
Hope that helps!
Super good! I’m always looking for recipes that are fairly easy to make, somewhat healthy and something the whole family will eat. This hit the jackpot and everyone asked for seconds. Next time I think add some more chicken broth because some pasta on the top weren’t submerged & didn’t cook. Other than that, it was terrific!
Thanks, Katie! I’m so glad that it worked for your entire family! That’s when you know it’s a winner. 🙂
Anyone try this in a crockpot?
Hi, Cathy! No, I haven’t tried it in a slow cooker myself, but I bet it would work! You will just need to keep an eye on it so that the pasta doesn’t get overcooked if it’s in the pot too long.
Turned out great and so yummy! My pasta took 55 minutes to cook through but I do live at 6,800’ Thanks for the easy recipe!
Great! So glad that it worked well for you, Julie! 🙂
Made this tonight. It was delicious! Will definitely be making it again!
Wonderful! Thanks, Deb!
My family and I have tried this meal. Hands down amazing. We added baby spinach and crushed red pepper. Can’t wait to make again for my family
That’s wonderful, Kelly! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂