Baked pasta with vegetable ragu
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 30 min
- Cook time: 25 min
- Serving: 6
PRESENTATION
Baked pasta with vegetable ragu is such a Southern Italian classic—brings everyone together. And you know what? It kicks off with this rich, tender mix of eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, and fresh basil. They’re slow-cooked until all those flavors just melt together into a deep, moist sauce. No meat here, just a vegetarian pasta bake that’s all about hearty, satisfying ragu. Lots of color and freshness. Fusillotti pasta? Only boiled until it's al dente. Then, tossed with the veggie-packed sauce so every single curl holds onto the goodness. Seriously good.
Once you’ve layered everything up, it bakes until the top gets all golden and slightly crispy, while the inside stays soft and melty. Pretty awesome, right? Down in Southern Italy, these baked pasta recipes scream big family lunches or easy Sunday gatherings. The laid-back, homey vibes are real.
What makes this vegetarian pasta bake stand out from your usual pasta al forno? Well, it’s all about celebrating the veggies—no meat sauce here. It’s kinda like 'pasta al forno alla siciliana,' but with more garden flavors. And look, zero meat. To get that melty texture without drying out, only half-cook the pasta before tossing it in the oven. Folks in Sicily? They totally swear by this technique for the best oven-baked pasta.
Thing is, this dish is super easy to prep ahead. Just assemble, stash it in the fridge, and bake when you’re ready. For sure, it's perfect for busy weeknights or chilled get-togethers. Leftovers? They taste way way better the next day. Seriously. The mix of a crispy top, tender pasta, and a veggie ragu full of flavor makes this healthy pasta bake a real crowd-pleaser. If you love Italian food but want a tasty, meatless pasta dish, this is it. Whether you’re serving it for a family meal or having a cozy dinner at home, this baked pasta is a delicious way to savor the flavors of Southern Italy. Really.
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INGREDIENTS
- Fusillotti 11.3 oz (320 g)
- Fior di latte mozzarella cheese 7 oz (200 g)
- Grana Padano PDO cheese 2.3 oz (65 g)
- Basil to taste
- For the vegetable ragu
- Red Tropea onions 3 oz (80 g)
- Fresh scallion 3 oz (80 g)
- Carrots ½ cup (70 g)
- Eggplant 7.1 oz (200 g)
- Bell peppers 2 oz (60 g) - horn-shaped
- Datterino tomatoes 3.5 oz (100 g) - yellow
- Beefsteak tomatoes 3.5 oz (100 g)
- Basil to taste
- Vegetable broth ½ cup (100 g)
- Fine salt to taste
How to prepare Baked pasta with vegetable ragu
To prepare the baked pasta with vegetable ragu, clean the spring onion by removing the root and the tips, then slice it thinly 1. Peel the carrot with a vegetable peeler and finely chop it with a knife 2. Peel the red onion and cut it into thin slices 3.
Pour a drizzle of olive oil into a saucepan, add the spring onion, carrot and onion 4 and let them sauté over low heat for about ten minutes, stirring often 5. Meanwhile, peel the eggplant 6 and trim off the ends.
Slice it first into rounds and then into sticks 7. Clean the pepper, cut it in half 8, remove the stem, seeds and inner ribs, then cut it into thin strips 9.
Cut the yellow cherry tomatoes in half 10. Halve the oxheart (beefsteak) tomato, remove the firmer central part and dice it 11. When the soffritto is well softened, add the eggplant and the pepper 12.
Also add the diced tomato 13, season with salt 14 and mix well 15.
Pour in about 3.4 fl oz (approximately 0.42 cups) of vegetable broth 16 or water, cover with a lid 17 and cook for about 15 minutes over medium heat. After the cooking time, add the yellow cherry tomatoes 18.
Add the basil, torn by hand 19, then stir and turn off the heat 20. Meanwhile cook the fusillotti in plenty of salted boiling water for half the time indicated on the package 21.
Drain the pasta directly into the vegetable ragu 22 and mix everything well 23. Pour half of the pasta into an 11-inch (28 cm) baking dish. Sprinkle over a handful of grated Parmesan 34.
Coarsely crumble half of the fiordilatte and spread it over the pasta 25. Cover with the remaining pasta 26 and finish with the remaining fiordilatte 27.
Add the grated Parmesan as well 28. Bake in a preheated convection oven at 446 6F for 15-20 minutes, until the surface is well gratinated and golden. Remove from the oven, finish with a few fresh basil leaves 29 and serve 30.