This is the perfect no-fuss dinner to enjoy in the garden. It takes just 10 minutes to make, then in it goes into the oven to bake and bubble for a bit until it turns into a delicious pasta bake recipe that will serve a family or feed a couple for two or three dinners depending on how hungry you are. Simple but rewarding cooking at its finest!
Summer Veg Pasta Bake
This Summer vegetable pasta bake recipe celebrates lots of lovely veg. It’s a light yet comforting dish with a creamy tomato sauce infused with deliciously aromatic fresh thyme. Thyme is my favourite herb I absolutely adore the smell of it!
Ingredients
- Serves 4
- 300g Conchiglie (shell) pasta
- 2 red onions, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp mixed herbs
- Bunch of fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- Bunch of asparagus, chopped
- 1 red pepper, diced
- Half a tube of tomato puree
- 90g cream cheese
- 1 cup of peas
- Cheddar for grating
Method
Pre heat your oven to 160c. Add your pasta to a pot of boiling water and cook until al-dente and then drain.
Whilst the pasta is cooking make the sauce and vegetable filling at the same time. In a large pan heat some oil on medium heat and when up to temperature add the onions and cook until softened, before adding the minced garlic, mixed herbs and thyme. After a minute or two add the asparagus and red pepper. Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar then add the tomato puree and stir well.
Add the cream cheese and once combined, you may wish to add a ladle or two of the pasta water to loosen up the sauce. Now add the peas. Allow to simmer until it has reduced to desired thickness.
Add your drained pasta to the pan and mix thoroughly to combine, then transfer the pasta mix to a baking dish. Top with grated cheddar – measure this with your heart! And bake for 15 minutes.
Recipe Overview
Summer Vegetable Pasta Bake
Equipment
- Chopping board
- Knife
- Pot
- Large frying pan
- Wooden spoon
- Garlic press
- Colander
- Baking dish
- Box grater
Ingredients
- 300 g Conchiglie pasta
- 2 Red onions, diced
- 4 Cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Mixed herbs
- 1 bunch of fresh thyme, chopped finely
- 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 1 bunch of asparagus, chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- Half a tube of tomato puree
- 90 g Cream cheese
- 1 cup Peas (fresh or frozen)
- Cheddar for grating
Instructions
- Pre heat your oven to 160c. Boil your pasta in the pot with water until al dente.
- In a large pan add oil on medium heat and cook the onions until soft. Next add the garlic, mixed herbs and thyme. After a minute or two add the asparagus and red pepper. Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar then add the tomato puree and stir well.
- Add the cream cheese. You may wish to add a ladle or two of the pasta water to loosen up the sauce. Next add the peas. Allow this to simmer until it has reduced to desired thickness.
- Add your drained pasta to the pan and stir to combine, then transfer the pasta mix to a baking dish. Top with grated cheddar - as much as you like and then bake for 15 minutes.
What pasta to use for a pasta bake?
Anything that holds onto the sauce is a good shape to use. For that reason I really love using conchiglie pasta (those are the shells) because they do a fantastic job of scooping up the sauce and the veg. Fusilli would also work well as the sauce envelopes all the twists.
Serving suggestion
Like most pasta dishes, I think they pair really well with a simply crisp salad. Something with some fresh crunch to accompany the softness of a pasta bake works great. A mixed leaf salad with a glug of good quality olive oil is all I need alongside this Summer vegetable pasta bake recipe.
‘Measure with your heart’
Cooking is about self expression. You will find in my recipes that I make a point of not perfectly measuring everything and you’ll find terms used like ‘a bunch’ of something instead of a weight. I want you to have freedom to input ingredients into your food in sync with your own tastes. In the case of this pasta bake it is especially important that you add the amount of cheese on top that feels right for you. I only hope that the right amount for you is generous and not stingy, because life it better with cheese!
Baking dish
The great thing about a pasta bake recipe is that you can bake it and serve it at the table in the same vessel. Less washing up plus it adds to the rustic, family style dining that I love. I live for Le Creuset and adore my volcanic orange baking dish which looks fantastic at the table in addition to being extremely durable and perfect for cooking pasta bake recipe.
More pasta recipes
If you love your pasta and like the sound of this pasta bake recipe then check out some of my other recipes that I think you will enjoy.
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