Description
This Zucchini Pasta Bake Recipe is made with zucchinis, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, olive oil, oregano, and rigatoni pasta.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 medium zucchinis, diced
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes
- 1 8 oz block feta cheese
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper, as desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 °F.
- In a large baking dish, place the block of feta cheese in the middle and add the zucchini, cherry tomatoes and garlic around it. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt, pepper and oregano.
- Bake in the oven, uncovered, for 45-55 minutes, until the cherry tomatoes are bursting and the zucchini is golden.
- When there is 10 minutes left of baking, cook the pasta according to package instructions.
- Take the vegetables out of the oven and give the vegetable mixture a nice stir. Toss in the pasta into the baking dish and coat the pasta in the mixture.
- Garnish with parsley.
Notes
- Use firm zucchini: Choose zucchini that is firm and not overly ripe for the best results. Overly ripe zucchini can release more moisture during baking, which can make the dish watery.
- Salt the zucchini: To remove excess moisture from the zucchini and prevent the dish from becoming too watery, you can salt the zucchini slices and let them sit for about 10 minutes. Then, pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels before using them in the recipe.
- Cook pasta al dente: Cook the pasta al dente, which means slightly undercooked, as it will continue to cook in the oven during baking. This helps prevent the pasta from becoming too soft and mushy in the final dish.
- Add herbs and spices: Don't be shy with herbs and spices! Add plenty of fresh or dried herbs, such as basil, oregano, thyme, or rosemary, to add depth and aroma to the dish. You can also add spices like garlic powder, onion powder, or red pepper flakes for extra flavor.
- Use high-quality cheeses: Use high-quality feta for a more flavorful and melty topping.
- Don't skimp on the cheese: Cheese is a star ingredient in a pasta bake, so be generous with it.
- Let it rest before serving: Allow the zucchini and pasta bake to rest for a few minutes after baking before serving. This helps the dish set and makes it easier to cut into clean slices.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 290.1
- Sugar: 3.5 g
- Sodium: 245.8 mg
- Fat: 5.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.0 g
- Carbohydrates: 48.0 g
- Fiber: 6.8 g
- Protein: 13.8 g
- Cholesterol: 2.8 mg
