Skinnytaste > Casseroles > Cheesy Baked Penne with Roasted Veggies

Cheesy Baked Penne with Roasted Veggies

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This vegetarian baked pasta dish is loaded with roasted zucchini, red bell peppers, asparagus, red onion and fennel tossed for the best tasting meatless baked pasta dish EVER!

Penne baked with cheese, sauce and loaded with healthy vegetables in every bite. Roasted zucchini, red bell peppers, asparagus, red onion and fennel are tossed with balsamic and herbs then roasted for the best tasting meatless baked pasta dish EVER!Cheesy Baked Penne with Roasted Veggies

Let’s face it, nothing beats real pasta. I have always been a firm believer that no foods should ever be off limits. Pasta, pizza, cheese, you can have them all with some simple tweaks to your favorite dishes, portion control and balancing out your day. In this dish for example, the pasta is loaded with so many vegetables to keep portions large and satisfying for a balanced dish. You may also like this Baked Pasta with Sausage and Spinach, or this Instant Pot Baked Ziti!

Penne baked with cheese, sauce and loaded with healthy vegetables in every bite. Roasted zucchini, red bell peppers, asparagus, red onion and fennel are tossed with balsamic and herbs then roasted for the best tasting meatless baked pasta dish EVER!

My aunt has an auto immune disease and can’t tolerate gluten, so I made this with Delallo’s Gluten-Free Whole Grain Penne. I first discovered their gluten-free pasta when I got some samples and shared with my girlfriend who has Celiac. She loved it so much she asked me to get her more and I’ve been a huge fan ever since. Wheat pasta can also be used, whatever your family enjoys.

Penne baked with cheese, sauce and loaded with healthy vegetables in every bite. Roasted zucchini, red bell peppers, asparagus, red onion and fennel are tossed with balsamic and herbs then roasted for the best tasting meatless baked pasta dish EVER!

Cheesy Baked Penne with Roasted Veggies

4.94 from 33 votes
10
Cals:359
Protein:19
Carbs:47
Fat:12
Penne baked with cheese, sauce and loaded with healthy vegetables in every bite. Roasted zucchini, red bell peppers, asparagus, red onion and fennel are tossed with balsamic and herbs then roasted for the best tasting meatless baked pasta dish EVER!
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Penne baked with cheese, sauce and loaded with healthy vegetables in every bite. Roasted zucchini, red bell peppers, asparagus, red onion and fennel are tossed with balsamic and herbs then roasted for the best tasting meatless baked pasta dish EVER!
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 55 mins
Yield: 8 Servings
Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

For the Veggies:

  • olive oil spray
  • 1 red bell pepper, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 medium, 8-ounce zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 medium, 8 oz fennel bulb, ends removed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 medium red onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch pieces
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled and slightly smashed
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil

For the Pasta:

  • 12 oz Delallo Gluten-Free Penne
  • 8 oz part-skim ricotta
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano
  • 8 oz part-skim mozzarella, shredded
  • 1 25.25 oz jar marinara sauce (we love Delallo Pomodoro)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
  • Spray a large baking sheet with oil, toss the peppers, zucchini, fennel, asparagus, red onion and garlic with balsamic, olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and dried herbs. Roast until tender on the lower rack of the oven, about 15 to 20 minutes stirring halfway,  until slightly browned tender.
  • Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions for al dente, (undercooking slightly as it will continue cooking in the oven), drain.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, parsley, 6 tablespoons of the Pecorino Romano cheese and half of the mozzarella cheese.
  • Spray a deep 13x9-inch baking dish with olive oil spray.
  • Put half of the cooked roasted vegetables into the prepared baking dish, then half of the pasta and top with 1 cup of the sauce. Spoon the ricotta mixture on top of the sauce in an even layer. Cover with the remaining pasta, then vegetables, then the remaining sauce. Finish with the remaining mozzarella and 2 tbsp Pecorino Romano cheese.
  • Cover with foil and bake in the center of the oven for 25 minutes, or until the mozzarella is melted.

Last Step:

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Nutrition

Serving: 1 1/2 cups, Calories: 359 kcal, Carbohydrates: 47 g, Protein: 19 g, Fat: 12 g, Saturated Fat: 6 g, Cholesterol: 28 mg, Sodium: 559 mg, Fiber: 8 g, Sugar: 4 g

Categories:

Made in partnership with Delallo Foods. A brand I love and use in my home.

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122 comments on “Cheesy Baked Penne with Roasted Veggies”

  1. Avatar photo
    Jessica Mueller

    This is a winner! While making it, my husband laughed and said there was no way our young children would eat it due to the amount of veggies. My kids loved it! They ate it all. My husband went back for second and thirds.

  2. What could I use to substitute for the fennel if I cannot find a fennel bulb? Would I used fennel seeds to sprinkle over the vegetables?

  3. LOVE this recipe!!!! Delicious! But for a family of three it’s a lot of food. How would this do for a freezer dish?

  4. Avatar photo
    Marilyn Stanley

    Scrumptious!! Loved the veggies with the pasta. Definitely going on my lists of faves. Grandson (who’s 3) had 2 helpings. Makes this mamaw’s heart happy. Thanks Gina for all you do to help us have a healthy, flavorful lifestyle. It’s really fun!

  5. This was outstanding!! I skipped the fennel since I am not a fan and used a larger sized zucchini and more asparagus. Otherwise I stuck to the recipe, and the three of us all had some extra after our first serving. Thanks for making Meatless Mondays so delicious.

  6. turned out very well for a family gathering, fulfilled the gooie food desire of some members and the lasagna lovers as well as the ones watching calories. I added zuchinni to the vegetable list.

  7. This is excellent! The roasted veggies are perfection. Super simple week night meal that my whole family liked. I will definitely make this again. Thanks, as always, Gina!

  8. Wow! This is delicious. I’ve been using your recipes for years. This has got to be one of my faves. Phenomenal.

  9. Avatar photo
    Delaney Williams

    I love this recipe! I am going to make it for my family on Christmas. Has anyone ever added a meat to this? Thinking chicken…

  10. I told my husband we were having this for dinner, and got a look (no meat). He is always willing to try though, and we both loved it. I added quartered white mushrooms to the veggies, but otherwise followed pretty closely. Delicious!

  11. I’ve made this many times and love it!  So I have 20 people coming Christmas Eve. I do a buffet with sternos   I would like to include this dish. I would prep the night before. Bake Christmas Eve and put it in a sterno to keep warm.  Do you think it would dry out?  Should I use more sauce.?  

  12. I’ve made so many Skinnytaste recipes but this one might be my favorite!! I’m not a huge fan of veggies so this is the perfect way of sneaking them in, and eliminating the meat at the same time. So much flavor! I used chickpea pasta to add protein and it tasted great. I only used one 10 oz box and it was more than enough. 

  13. This recipe is actually 11 points in weight watchers and not 9.
    Worth the Extra points though because it is fabulous, id just change it to have the correct ammount for people using quick add.

    1. Hi Hannah. Did you use the recipe builder? The only accurate way to determine any recipe’s SmartPoints® value is to plug the ingredients into the recipe builder on the Weight Watchers website (Click on “My Foods,” select “Recipe,” and click “Create a recipe.”) which does not count fruits and vegetables in recipes in the calculations as they are now 0 points.

      The SmartPoints® calculator isn’t meant for recipes and will often give you the wrong points (usually higher) because it’s counting the fruits and vegetables. So if you see a recipe with a SmartPoints® value that’s different from what the calculator tells you, now you know why.

      1. I just put this into the recipe builder on WW (not the calculator) and got 11 points on the green plan also.

  14. So good!!! Love roasted vegetables and this was just next level! Swapped out the asparagus and fennel for carrots and parsnips – just delicious!!!!

  15. This is my first recipe from this website, and it was delicious. I love regular baked cheesy penne but nevermind thought to combine it with roasted vegetables. What a winner!! I made a veggie version and one with turkey (browned and simmered with marinara sauce) – both were great.

    I have women picky eaters in the family so had to swap out some vegetables. I think just about anything “roastable” would be fantastic here. I did broccoli, yellow squash, zucchini, and baby portabellas. It was a huge hit. Thank you!! 

  16. Made it as written and it was perfect! Used Trader Joe’s marinara with Barolo wine and it was so complimentary to the balsamic in the roast veggies. My husband even said it was good and went back for seconds which is huge because if a dish doesn’t have meat in it he typically hates it! Another winner from Skinnytaste! Thank you Gina! 

  17. Made this for dinner last night! So good and easy ! Prepared earlier in the day then popped in the oven. Subbed asparagus for tomatoes and more zucchini! Will definitely make again!