No-Boil Pasta Bake (with Veggies!)
The easiest pasta dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 16 ounces small shaped pasta such as penne, fussili, or ziti
- 1/2 cup finely grated carrot or any veggies you like
- 1 cup finely chopped baby spinach or any leafy greens
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 24-28 ounce jar marinara sauce (Rao's in my favorite)
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 2 cups shredded mozarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with the olive oil.
- Add pasta, veggies, parmesan cheese, and marinara sauce to the baking pan. Stir well to mix then spread into an even layer. Pour water over the top then give the pan a shake or stir a bit to make sure the water is evenly distributed.
- Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. (If you pasta still seems undercooked at this time, see note below.)
- Carefully remove foil with an oven mitt then sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly oven the top of the pasta. Broil until cheese is golden brown. Serve warm.
Notes
Note: If the pasta is still undercooked after the cook time instructed, stir it up and make sure there is still some liquid in the pan. If the liquid has been fully absorbed, add an additional cup of water and cover the pan tightly with foil. Place the pan back in the oven and cook for 20 more minutes then taste the pasta again. Some people have reported having to cook the pasta for up to an hour to an hour and 15 min for it to be fully cooked.