Whoever said vegetables were boring clearly never tried roasting them. Seriously, whoever that was—what were they thinking?
Anyway, picture this: a medley of colorful veggies, their edges caramelized to perfection, mingling with al dente penne, all cozied up together in a bubbly, cheesy embrace.
It’s like a warm hug in a dish, especially when the weather’s starting to play tricks with your wardrobe choices (hello, autumn! ).
I stumbled upon this recipe during one of those endless social media scrolls—thank you, algorithm gods—and it’s been a game-changer for weeknight dinners ever since. Plus, it’s sneaky enough to fool the picky eaters in the family into devouring their greens without a fuss.
Serve it with a side of your favorite crusty bread, and you’ve got a meal that’s as comforting as your favorite sweater—minus the itchy sleeves.
Steps
- Preheat your oven to 400ºF. Cut the red onion, zucchini, yellow squash, and bell pepper into 1-inch pieces. Arrange the vegetables on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat the vegetables in oil.
- Roast the vegetables in the oven for about 45 minutes, stirring halfway through, until they are tender and edges are caramelized.
- While the vegetables are roasting, dice a yellow onion and sauté it in a pot with butter over medium heat until soft. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, and water to the onions. Stir and let the sauce simmer on low heat while the vegetables finish roasting, about 30 minutes.
- In a bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, one cup of shredded Italian cheese blend, salt, and pepper.
- Boil a large pot of water and cook the penne until tender. Drain and return the pasta to the pot. Stir in one cup of the red sauce to coat the pasta.
- Combine the roasted vegetables with the remaining red sauce.
- In a 9×13″ casserole dish, layer half of the sauced pasta, half of the cheese mixture, and half of the vegetable sauce. Repeat the layers with the remaining pasta, cheese, and vegetable sauce, then top with the rest of the shredded cheese.
- Cover the dish with foil, ensuring it doesn’t touch the cheese, and bake for 35 minutes.
- Remove the foil and switch the oven to broil. Broil the dish for a few minutes until the cheese on top is golden brown. Optionally, garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Ingredients
- 1 red onion
- 1 zucchini
- 1 yellow squash
- 1 bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ? teaspoon salt
- ? teaspoon pepper
- 1 yellow onion
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup water
- 1 pound penne
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend, divided
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional garnish)
FAQ
- What can I use if I can’t find ziti pasta?
- If ziti is unavailable, you can easily substitute it with penne pasta for a similar texture and taste.
- Can I use store-bought pasta sauce instead of homemade?
- Yes, you can save time by using about one and a half 24oz jars of store-bought pasta sauce in place of making the homemade sauce.
- How do I store leftovers of Roasted Vegetable Baked Penne?
- After baking, divide the pasta into single-serving containers. Store them in the refrigerator for up to a week or transfer them to the freezer for longer storage. When you want to eat, simply reheat in the microwave.
- What vegetables can I use for this recipe?
- This recipe works well with softer vegetables like zucchini, yellow squash, red onion, and bell pepper. However, you can also use mushrooms, eggplant, broccoli, cauliflower, or carrots. Just ensure to cut firmer vegetables into smaller pieces for even roasting.
- Can I make this dish ahead of time?
- Yes, you can prepare the components in advance. Assemble the casserole, cover it, and store it in the fridge. When ready to eat, bake it as directed in the recipe.
Tips
- Save time by using store-bought pasta sauce instead of making it from scratch. You’ll need about one and a half 24 oz. jars to replace the homemade sauce.
- For a colorful and tasty mix, consider using vegetables like mushrooms, eggplant, broccoli, or cauliflower in addition to or instead of the classic zucchini, yellow squash, red onion, and bell pepper.
- When layering the casserole, don’t worry about making the layers perfectly even or covering the previous layer completely. The ingredients will meld together as they bake, resulting in a delicious dish.
- To preserve leftovers, divide the baked penne into individual portions once cooled and store them in the fridge for up to a week or freeze them for longer storage. Reheat in the microwave for a quick meal.
Equipment
- Enamelware Sheet Pan
- Stainless Steel Pots and Pans
- Chef’s Knife
- 9×13″ (3 quart) Casserole Dish
- Colander
