Dump-and-Bake Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta
You don't even have to boil the pasta for this easy dump-and-bake creamy tomato basil pasta!
Servings 4 people
Calories 445kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups marinara sauce (or reduce to 1 ½ cups for a less "saucy" dish)
- 1 cup Alfredo sauce
- 1 cup chicken broth (or use vegetable broth for a vegetarian dish)
- 2 tablespoons store-bought or homemade basil pesto
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, drained
- 8 ounces dry uncooked mezzi rigatoni pasta (or other similar short pasta shape)
- ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese (or grated Italian cheese blend)
- ¼ grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves or other chopped fresh herbs (such as parsley)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease a deep 8-inch or 9-inch square baking dish or spray with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together marinara sauce, Alfredo sauce, chicken broth, pesto, salt, basil, garlic powder, and pepper.
- Stir in tomatoes and uncooked pasta.
- Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake until pasta is al dente (almost tender), about 40-45 minutes.
- Remove foil and stir the pasta in the dish. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese over top.
- Return to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 5-10 more minutes, or until pasta is tender and cheese is melted.
- Let the dish stand for about 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with fresh basil or other fresh herbs.
Notes
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- Use a deep 8-inch dish or a 9-inch dish with a capacity of at least 2 - 2 ½ quarts so that it can accommodate all of the raw ingredients without bubbling over. This is the dish that I've shown here.
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- Pick a high-quality, flavorful marinara sauce and Alfredo sauce. A delicious sauce will yield a delicious meal. I like Rao's brand, but any similar variety will work.
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- Total cooking time will vary depending on the type of pan that you use, your brand of pasta, 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.
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- Be careful not to overbake the casserole or the pasta will become mushy.
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- Garnish the casserole with herbs like fresh basil or fresh parsley for a bright, colorful touch.
- Don’t have mezzi rigatoni? You can substitute with other similar short pasta shapes such as penne, rotini, or elbows. Just pick a pasta that has a similar cooking time as the mezzi rigatoni (about 8-10 minutes recommended on the package) — otherwise you’ll need to adjust the casserole’s baking time in the oven.
- For more veggies, stir in an 8-ounce container of sliced fresh mushrooms. They will be soft and perfectly cooked by the time the pasta is done.
- For a spicy dish, add crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce.
- Add buttered breadcrumbs on top for a crunchy texture.
- Cooking for a Larger Family: Double all of the ingredients and bake the casserole in a 13 x 9-inch pan. The rest of the cooking instructions remain the same.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/4 of the casserole | Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 1826mg | Potassium: 716mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 890IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 176mg | Iron: 3mg