Description
This one-pan Creamy Roasted Tomato and Herb Pasta Bake is a quick, cheesy, and vegetarian dinner that’s perfect for weeknights. Tender pasta is coated in a velvety, rich sauce made from roasted tomatoes and herbed cream cheese, with fresh herbs adding a bright finish.
Ingredients
- 3 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
- 3 (5.2-ounce) rounds herbed soft cheese (garlic & herb flavor)
- 4½ to 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 15 to 24 ounces pasta of your choice (penne, rotini, or shells work well)
- ¾ cup reserved pasta water
- ⅜ cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1½ cups fresh baby spinach, chopped (optional)
- ¾ cup grated hard cheese (parmesan-style or Italian)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Arrange the herbed soft cheese rounds in the center of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Place the tomatoes around the cheese.
- Drizzle everything with olive oil. Sprinkle with minced garlic, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Roast for 30–35 minutes, until the tomatoes blister and the cheese melts into a creamy base.
- While the tomatoes roast, cook your pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente.
- Before draining, reserve ¾ cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta well.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven. Stir the roasted tomatoes and melted cheese gently until smooth and creamy, creating your creamy roasted tomato sauce.
- Add the cooked pasta and the reserved pasta water to the baking dish. Stir thoroughly to coat the pasta in the creamy roasted tomato herb sauce.
- Stir in the chopped basil, optional baby spinach, and grated hard cheese. Toss gently until the spinach wilts slightly and everything is evenly combined.
- Serve warm, with optional extra cheese or a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
- Using ripe tomatoes will enhance the natural sweetness of the sauce.
- The reserved pasta water helps bind the sauce to the pasta for a better consistency.
- Adjust the crushed red pepper flakes to your preferred spice level.
- Spinach is optional but adds extra nutrition and freshness.
- If you can’t find garlic & herb cheese, use plain soft cheese mixed with fresh herbs.
- This recipe is versatile; feel free to add cooked chicken, shrimp, or chickpeas.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking and Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 1/8th of the recipe
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 640 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: N/A
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 21 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg