This pasta bake is everything I love about cheesy stuffed shells—minus the stuffing. Quick, comforting and freezer-friendly to boot!
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 400 g small pasta (I used mafalde/mafaldine, but penne, rigatoni or small shells are also great)
- 375 g ricotta
- 300 g (2 cups) freshly grated mozzarella
- 100 g (1 cup) freshly grated parmesan
- 130 g (3 cups) firmly packed baby spinach leaves (can be substituted with 250 g frozen spinach, thawed and excess moisture squeezed out)
- Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated garlic
- ½ teaspoon sea salt flakes
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 500 g good-quality store-bought tomato pasta sauce
- 125 g (½ cup) pesto (store-bought or homemade)
- 20 g (⅓ cup) panko breadcrumbs
- Olive oil spray
To serve
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Chilli flakes (optional)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).
- Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions minus 2 minutes, as it will continue to cook in the oven.
- Mix together the ricotta, mozzarella, half the parmesan, the spinach, lemon zest (if using), garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the ricotta mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon until well combined. Check the seasoning.
- Spoon ½ cup of the pasta sauce into the base of a large baking dish. Add the cheesy pasta, then dollop spoonfuls of the pesto on top. Top with the remaining pasta sauce.
- Sprinkle the top with the breadcrumbs and the remaining parmesan and spray the top generously with olive oil.
- Bake in the top half of the oven for 10–12 minutes until golden brown on top.
- Turn the oven to grill and cook for a further 1–2 minutes, or until the top is extra crispy—don’t go too far away as this will happen quickly.
- Serve drizzled with olive oil and a sprinkle of chilli flakes (if using).
Make ahead
Assemble to the point of being ready to bake, then wrap tightly in foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the fridge overnight before baking, covered, for 30 minutes in a 200°C (180°C fan-forced) oven, then uncovered for 15 minutes until golden brown and warmed through.
Leftovers
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw completely in the fridge before reheating for best results and reheat in the microwave.
Other recipes you may be be interested in:
- No-fuss vegetarian lasagne
- Vegan baked sweet potato enchiladas
- Hidden veggie meals: Super greens pie
Simple Dinners Every Day by Nicole Maguire, published by Plum, RRP: $44.99, photography by Alan Benson.
