Equipment
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables
- 250 g zucchini, diced into 2cm cubes
- 300 g eggplant, diced into 2cm cubes
- 200 g red bell pepper, seeded and chopped into 2cm pieces
- 150 g red onion, chopped
- 250 g cherry tomatoes, left whole
- 30 ml olive oil, divided
- 5 g salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Pasta and Sauce
- 350 g whole wheat penne pasta
- 700 g crushed tomatoes
- 3 garlic, minced
- 15 g fresh basil, roughly chopped
- 2 g dried oregano
Cheeses
- 250 g part-skim ricotta cheese, drained if watery
- 150 g low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 50 g parmesan cheese, grated
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 505 kcal
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbohydrates
- 67 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fiber
- 12 g
- Sugar
- 15 g
- Sodium
- 882 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 35 mg
- Potassium
- 1187 mg
- Calcium
- 482 mg
- Iron
- 5.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 144 mg
- Phosphorus
- 566 mg
- Zinc
- 4.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 208 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 71 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 23 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.6 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.33 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.42 mg
- Niacin
- 6.1 mg
- Folate
- 97 mcg
- Water
- 192 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200 C / 400 F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with a small amount of olive oil.
Place the diced zucchini, eggplant, red bell pepper, red onion, and cherry tomatoes on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil, season with salt and black pepper, and toss to coat evenly.
Roast the vegetables in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until tender and lightly caramelized. Remove from the oven but leave the oven on.
While the vegetables are roasting, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the whole wheat penne and cook for 2 minutes less than the package instructions dictate for al dente. Drain well in a colander.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the crushed tomatoes, minced garlic, chopped basil, dried oregano, and half of the ricotta cheese. Stir until the ricotta is mostly incorporated, creating a creamy, blushing sauce.
Add the drained pasta and the roasted vegetables to the mixing bowl with the tomato sauce. Gently fold everything together until the pasta and vegetables are evenly coated. Pour this mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Dollop the remaining ricotta cheese evenly over the top of the pasta mixture. Sprinkle an even layer of shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan cheese across the entire dish.
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 200 C / 400 F for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and golden brown in spots.
Remove the pasta bake from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. This allows the sauce to thicken and makes portioning easier. Garnish with additional fresh basil.
Chef's Notes
- Roasting the vegetables instead of sauteing them concentrates their natural sugars and prevents the final dish from becoming soggy.
- Using whole wheat pasta not only increases the fiber content but also provides a robust, nutty flavor that stands up beautifully to the heavy vegetable and cheese elements.
- Blending half of the ricotta directly into the tomato sauce mimics the mouthfeel of heavy cream without the added saturated fat.
- Allowing the bake to rest for 10 minutes after pulling it from the oven is non-negotiable. The starches in the pasta need this time to absorb any remaining free-floating liquids.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. The pasta will absorb more sauce as it sits.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze unbaked or baked. If freezing unbaked, assemble completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and bake from frozen adding 30 minutes to the covered baking time.
Reheating: Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, or cover with foil and bake at 175 C for 20 minutes until heated through.
Troubleshooting
Watery sauce at the bottom of the baking dish
Cause: Vegetables released too much moisture or ricotta was too wet
Fix: Return to the oven uncovered for an additional 10 minutes to allow excess liquid to evaporate
Prevention: Ensure vegetables are fully roasted until moisture evaporates, and drain ricotta if it appears very liquid in the tub
Mushy pasta
Cause: Pasta was fully cooked during the boiling phase before being baked
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Always subtract 2 to 3 minutes from the recommended boiling time when making a pasta bake
Cultural Context
Pasta al forno, or baked pasta, is a beloved cornerstone of the Italian Sunday family lunch. Traditionally acting as a resourceful method to utilize leftover pasta and ragu, this modern, vegetable-forward variation honors the spirit of Italian resourcefulness while prioritizing vibrant, nutrient-dense ingredients.
