This white bean pasta cooks entirely in one dish for a flavorful combination of spinach, sundried tomatoes, pesto, and marinara.
Table of Contents
If you love dump-and-bake recipes, be sure to try this vegetable casserole, dump-and-bake shrimp Alfredo pasta, a dump-and-bake chicken broccoli rice casserole, and this dump-and-bake meatball casserole, too!
A Few Notes Before You Get Started
- This recipe is specifically designed and tested with rotini pasta. If you don’t have rotini, you can substitute with other short pasta shapes like penne, rigatoni, or elbows. Just pick a pasta that has a similar cooking time as the rotini (about 7-8 minutes recommended on the package) — otherwise you’ll need to adjust the casserole’s baking time in the oven.
- The total cooking time will vary depending on the type of pan that you use and on 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.
Directions
It doesn’t get much easier than a dump-and-bake white bean pasta with just 10 minutes of prep. You don’t even have to boil the noodles before tossing the ingredients together and popping the dish in the oven! You’ll find step-by-step instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:
- Whisk together the broth, marinara, pesto, and garlic powder in a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
- Stir in the uncooked pasta, beans, and sundried tomatoes. Make sure that everything is evenly distributed in the pan. You also want most of the pasta to be submerged in the liquid.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil.
- Bake the casserole in a 425°F oven for about 30 minutes, until the pasta is al dente. If the pasta is still too hard at this point — no problem. Just cover with foil again and return it to the oven for a few more minutes.
- Uncover, stir gently with a fork, add the spinach, and sprinkle with cheese.
- Bake the dish uncovered for about 5 more minutes, until the cheese melts and the pasta is tender.
- Serve in individual bowls and garnish with fresh parsley or fresh basil, Parmesan cheese, or red pepper flakes, if desired.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this flavorful and hearty vegetarian pasta with a side of garlic bread, no-knead cast iron focaccia, a simple green salad with red wine vinegar salad dressing, 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 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.
More Meatless Dump-and-Bake Dinners
Dump-and-Bake Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
45 minutes mins
Dump-and-Bake Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta
1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
4-Ingredient Ravioli Casserole
50 minutes mins
Dump-and-Bake White Bean Pasta
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
This white bean pasta includes pesto, spinach, sundried tomatoes, and marinara in a single dish for an easy and satisfying vegetarian meal.
Ingredients
- 3 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce (about 3 cups total)
- ¼ cup prepared basil pesto (use homemade or store-bought)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked rotini pasta
- 1 (15 ounce) can navy beans, cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, or other white beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup julienne cut sundried tomatoes packed in oil, drained
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped or torn
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese or Italian cheese blend
- Optional garnish: Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, oregano, or parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). In a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish, whisk together the broth, marinara sauce, pesto, and garlic powder. Stir in the uncooked pasta, beans, and sundried tomatoes. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Uncover; stir the pasta gently with a fork. At this point you should check the pasta to make sure that it is al dente (still firm, but with a tender bite). I have had good luck with the 30-minute cook time; however, some readers have noted that it required 5-10 more minutes. If it’s still too hard after 30 minutes, just cover the dish and return it to the oven until the pasta is al dente. Then move on to the next step.
- Stir in the spinach leaves and sprinkle the cheese over top.
- Bake uncovered for about 5 more minutes, or until the cheese melts and the pasta is tender.
- Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan or chopped fresh herbs, if desired.
Notes
- This recipe is specifically designed and tested with rotini pasta. If you don’t have rotini, you can substitute with other short pasta shapes like penne, rigatoni, or elbows. Just pick a pasta that has a similar cooking time as the rotini (about 7-8 minutes recommended on the package) — otherwise you’ll need to adjust the casserole’s baking time in the oven.
- The total cooking time will vary depending on the type of pan that you use and on 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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/8 of the casseroleCalories: 386kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 17gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 1214mgPotassium: 715mgFiber: 7gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1628IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 144mgIron: 3mg
White Bean Pasta Recipe Variations
- Add more veggies to the dish. Good options include diced or grated zucchini or summer squash, fresh or frozen broccoli florets or green beans, diced red peppers, chopped kale, and frozen peas (at the end).
- If you’d like to include some meat, stir in 2 cups of diced or shredded cooked chicken at the same time that you add the spinach. Cooked and crumbled or sliced Italian sausage would also be great in this white bean pasta.
- Add even more flavor with additional seasoning, such as an Italian seasoning blend, or herbs like basil, oregano, rosemary, or thyme. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end also brightens up the dish.
- Bulk it up with an extra can of drained, rinsed beans.
- Add crushed red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
- If you’re cooking for a smaller family, cut all of the ingredients in half. Bake the casserole in an 8-inch square dish.
- For another vegetarian pasta dinner, be sure to try this simple baked rigatoni recipe with no meat!
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