Mediterranean Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake

This Mediterranean Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake is bursting with flavor. Vegetables are roasted with warm spices to bring out their sweetness and then paired with pasta, feta and mozzarella cheese, diced tomatoes and fresh herbs to create an easy, healthy pasta dish the whole family will love.

MEDITERRANEAN ROASTED VEGETABLE PASTA BAKE

Today’s Mediterranean Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake is one of my favorites.

There is something so wonderful about roasted vegetables.

Today’s recipe roasts onion, bell pepper, zucchini, eggplant and garlic with a warm spice mix.

The roasted vegetables are then tossed with pasta, mozzarella cheese, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, feta cheese and mozzarella cheese and baked.

This is also great as leftovers for throughout the week. I love making a big batch and packing some in my kids lunchboxes.

Roasting vegetables really brings out the flavor and sweetness in vegetables.

I use roasted vegetables in a lot of my dishes.

Try them as a side dish in my Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables, or Greek Roasted Vegetables, Roasted Vegetable Salad.

Or use them as an ingredient in another dish like my Roasted Vegetable & Goat Cheese Flatbread Pizza, or my Mediterranean Buddha Bowl.

Why You Will Love This Roasted Vegetable Pasta Recipe

EASY TO MAKE: We love easy vegetarian recipes and this one is no exception. The hands on prep time is minimal, just roast the veggies, then assemble the dish and bake in the oven.

MAKE AHEAD: Roast the veggies and layer up the pasta bake earlier in the day, then set aside in the refrigerator. When ready to enjoy all you need to do is bake the pasta in the oven.

VEGETABLE PACKED DINNER: This recipe is a great way of adding to your 5-a-day. Feel free to load in other vegetables to the dish using the vegetables you like to eat, make the dish your own.

Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions

• Pasta – I’ve used rigatoni pasta, but you can use any medium sized pasta like penne pasta.
• Oil – I use extra virgin olive oil to roast the vegetables as it has the best nutty flavor. You also could add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar which would help add a savory, rich flavor to the roasted vegetables.
• Garlic – I recommend using fresh minced garlic in this recipe for flavor, but you can use garlic powder or puree if you don’t have fresh.
• Vegetables – I’ve roasted a combination of red onions, red bell pepper and orange bell peppers (you can use any color pepper), zucchini and eggplant in this recipe. You could sub in green bell peppers also.
• Spices – I use a combination of dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme, sweet paprika and red pepper flakes to flavor the pasta.
• Seasoning – I season the pasta bake with sea salt and black pepper.
• Tomatoes  – I use a can of diced fire roasted tomatoes along with a can of my favorite pasta sauce or marinara sauce. You could also use regular diced tomatoes or even fresh cherry tomatoes.
• Cheese – I top the pasta bake with crumbled feta cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese, before baking in the hot oven. You also could stir in ricotta cheese to the pasta dish.
• Garnish – I like to garnish the pasta bake with some freshly chopped basil and parsley.

How to Make This Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake

1. Cook the pasta

Cook the pasta, according to package instructions, to al dente. While the pasta cooks, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Prepare the vegetables

Place the vegetables and garlic on a large non-stick baking sheet and drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables {use two baking sheets if you find the vegetables are crowded}.

3. Season the vegetables

In a small bowl mix together the oregano, basil, thyme, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the spices over the vegetables.

4. Roast the vegetables

Roast the vegetables in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender, stirring the vegetables once while they cook.

Once done remove from the oven and add the cooked vegetables to a large baking dish. Turn down the oven to 350 degrees F.

5. Prepare the pasta bake

Stir in the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Add the cooked pasta and mix well.

Top the veggie pasta bake with the feta cheese and mozzarella cheese.

6. Bake the pasta

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until there is melted cheese and it starts to turn golden brown. Garnish with fresh basil and parsley.

Recipe Modifications for this Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake Recipe

PASTA: I’ve used rigatoni pasta in this recipe, but you can swap this for another medium sized pasta like penne or fusilli. You can also use whole wheat pasta, or try a red lentil or chickpea pasta for a higher protein option.

VEGETABLES: you can add in other vegetables that you and your family enjoy eating. Try adding mushrooms, green beans, baby spinach or broccoli.

SPICES: the blend of dried herb and spices I’ve used add flavor, if there’s a spice that you don’t like simply leave it out. If you don’t have the individual dried herbs, Italian seasoning is a great substitute.

CHILI: the chili heat in this pasta bake can be adjusted to your taste. I added a little red pepper flakes to add a kick of chili heat, you could also use chili powder. However, if you don’t like chili then leave it out altogether.

TOMATOES: for the best flavor I’ve added a can of fire roasted tomatoes, however you can substitute regular diced tomatoes in this dish too.

TOMATO SAUCE: I bought my favorite jar of tomato sauce to use in this pasta dish making it even easier to put together. If you want to make a homemade sauce try this Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce or this Healthy Tomato Sauce. 

CHEESE: I top the pasta bake with mozzarella and feta, but you can add other cheese like parmesan cheese, sharp cheddar, or Monterey jack.

Storage Instructions

LEFTOVERS – Store leftover pasta bake in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.

REHEATING – To reheat leftovers place back into a warm oven to heat up. Alternatively heat the pasta bake up in the microwave.

FREEZE – Once cooked and cooled, cover the dish with a double layer of kitchen foil and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. The pasta bake can be reheated in the oven proof dish, straight from frozen, at 350 degrees F. Bake for 1 hour, covered in kitchen foil, to thaw completely and heat through.

What to Serve with this Simple Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake

This is a filling and nutritious meal in one dish, so if adding any extra sides they tend to be vegetable based. You can add some crusty bread or garlic bread for anyone who is really hungry.

I always serve side salads with dinner, try my Lemon Arugula Salad with Pine Nuts, Spinach Salad with Bacon. Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad, Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing or this Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad.

Want to add a cooked vegetable side, then try my Lebanese Green Beans, Green Beans with Brown Butter and Toasted Almonds, Sautéed Spinach, or this Simple Roasted Broccoli. 

Other Pasta Dishes You Might Like

ITALIAN SAUSAGE PASTA BAKE

CAPRESE PASTA

BUTTERNUT SQUASH PASTA

LEMON RICOTTA PASTA

MEDITERRANEAN PASTA

SPICY SAUSAGE PASTA

ONE POT CAJUN PASTA