Go Back
–+ servings
Square overhead shot of a bowl of dump and bake shrimp marinara on a white table.
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Dump-and-Bake Shrimp Marinara

An easy baked shrimp marinara pasta casserole with just 10 minutes of prep!
Course Dinner
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword easy shrimp marinara, shrimp marinara
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 472kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

  • 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce
  • 1 ¼ cups water
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, not drained
  • 1 cup white wine (or sub with additional water)
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked rotini pasta
  • 1 lb. raw peeled and deveined shrimp (I use “medium” 41-50 count shrimp)
  • 2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese or mozzarella cheese
  • Optional garnish: chopped fresh herbs such as parsley or basil; grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In the prepared dish, whisk together the marinara sauce, water, diced tomatoes with their juices, white wine, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, onion powder, and pepper.
    Whisking together tomato sauce in a white dish.
  • Add the uncooked pasta and stir to make sure that the pasta is evenly distributed and mostly submerged. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
    Adding the pasta to a pan of shrimp marinara.
  • Remove the foil cover and gently stir the pasta with a fork. Check the pasta to make sure that it is al dente (still firm, but just about done). If it’s still too hard, cover the dish and return the pasta to the oven until it’s al dente. Then move on to the next step.
    Baked shrimp marinara pasta in a white dish.
  • Stir the shrimp into the pasta. Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the dish.
    Process shot showing how to add cheese to the top of shrimp marinara pasta.
  • Return to the casserole to the oven (uncovered); bake until the shrimp are pink and the pasta is tender, about 5-10 more minutes.
    Horizontal overhead shot of shrimp marinara with jar sauce baked in a white casserole dish.
  • Garnish with chopped fresh herbs if desired. Serve.
    Horizontal side shot of a bowl of easy shrimp marinara.

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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 of the recipe | Calories: 472kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 1146mg | Potassium: 750mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 850IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 333mg | Iron: 3mg