Category: Pasta & Noodles

Baked Gnocchi (with Sausage and Kale)

Our Baked Gnocchi with Sausage and Kale is a cozy, comforting one-dish meal, brimming with rich and savory flavors. It looks and tastes good enough for date night but is easy enough to make at the end of a busy workday. While the ingredients are simple, they combine for a decadent and filling pasta dinner you’ll love. You can make homemade gnocchi using our Simple Homemade Gnocchi Recipe or store-bought; either will do the trick….

Read More

The post Baked Gnocchi (with Sausage and Kale) appeared first on Spoon Fork Bacon.

Baked gnocchi being scooped out onto a plate.

Our Baked Gnocchi with Sausage and Kale is a cozy, comforting one-dish meal, brimming with rich and savory flavors. It looks and tastes good enough for date night but is easy enough to make at the end of a busy workday. While the ingredients are simple, they combine for a decadent and filling pasta dinner you’ll love.

You can make homemade gnocchi using our Simple Homemade Gnocchi Recipe or store-bought; either will do the trick. You could even try our Sweet Potato Gnocchi for a fun and colorful twist! Whichever kind you choose, these soft, doughy potato dumplings pair perfectly with rich sausage and hearty kale. Once you love gnocchi as much as we do, you can even substitute it for noodles like we do in our favorite Chicken and Gnocchi Soup!

How to Make Baked Gnocchi

Ingredients

Baked gnocchi ingredients.

Process

  1. Preheat oven to 375˚F. In a large pan, add oil and place over medium-high heat. Add sausage and brown for 3 to 4 minutes, breaking up into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Add kale and continue to sauté for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.
Sausage cooking in a skillet.
Sausage and kale cooking in a skillet.
  1. Transfer mixture into a mixing bowl and set aside.
  2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter into pan and add gnocchi to the pan. Lightly brown for 2 to 3 minutes.
Sausage and kale in a bowl.
Gnocchi searing in a skillet.
  1. Transfer gnocchi into the same bowl as the sausage and kale.
  2. Add shallots, garlic, and cream to the skillet and simmer over medium heat.
Gnocchi added to a bowl with sausage and kale.
Shallots and garlic cooking in a skillet.
  1. Once the mixture has reduced by ⅓, add the Parmesan and stir. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Add the gnocchi mixture and continue to simmer over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
Cream sauce simmering to make baked gnocchi.
Gnocchi, kale, and sausage in a skillet being tossed with a cream sauce.
  1. Transfer the mixture to a shallow baking dish and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
  2. Remove from heat, top with crushed pepper flakes, and serve.
Gnocchi mixture in a pan about to go into the oven.
Baked gnocchi fresh out of the oven.

Important Tools You Will Need

Variations

  • Replace the heavy cream with a tomato sauce or marinara for a lighter, tangy flavor. For a ‘rosé style sauce, swap half the cream for marinara.
  • Add a tablespoon or two of pesto to the cream sauce for a light, herby flavor.
  • Add a scoop of Calabrian chili paste for heat.
  • Swap plain potato gnocchi for sweet potato, cauliflower, or whole wheat gnocchi.
  • Swap all or some cheese with mozzarella, fontina, or gouda cheese.
  • Use spinach or Swiss chard in place of the kale.
  • Add a handful of sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, or mushrooms for a unique burst of flavor to the dish.

Instructions for Using Frozen Gnocchi

You can use frozen gnocchi instead of fresh or dried gnocchi for this recipe.

To use frozen gnocchi, add them to the pan straight from the freezer (no thawing required), exactly as you would with fresh gnocchi. Just add a few minutes to the cooking time as you sauté. Frozen gnocchi will take closer to 5-6 minutes to thaw through and brown on the outside, as opposed to 2-3 minutes for fresh.

Tips and Tricks for Baked Gnocchi Success

  • To avoid overcooked and mushy gnocchi, do not boil them ahead of time or let them boil in the sauce. All they need is a few minutes to brown and a couple of minutes to simmer in the sauce before adding them to the pan to bake.
  • When sauteeing the kale, give it enough time to wilt. This helps the kale become tender as it bakes, so you won’t be stuck with tough, chewy pieces in your baked gnocchi.
  • Use fresh ingredients if you can. There isn’t much to this recipe, so quality is extremely important. Freshly grated parmesan cheese, quality sausage, and fresh garlic and shallots will shine through in this dish.
  • Be careful not to reduce the sauce too much as it’s simmering on the stove. It will continue to thicken as it bakes in the oven.
Baked gnocchi with some red pepper flakes on the side.

Make Ahead, Freezing and Reheating Instructions

Make Ahead

You can easily make this baked gnocchi dish up to 24 hours ahead of time by assembling the entire thing right up to the point of putting it in the oven or meal-prepping a couple of ingredients to shave time off of cooking during the week.

To meal prep the entire dish, follow the directions as written, and once you’ve added everything to the baking dish, let it cool before covering it with plastic wrap and a lid or aluminum foil. Refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to bake it, remove the dish from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then bake as directed. If it’s still cold when you put it in the oven, it may need an extra 5 minutes in the oven.

Or you can shave time off this meal by preparing separate components ahead of time and then assembling and baking when you’re ready. Brown the sausage, gnocchi, and kale let them cool and store the mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Then, when you’re ready to bake it, proceed with the recipe as written.

Baked gnocchi in a pan being scooped out to serve.

Freezing

Freezing dishes with cream sauces isn’t recommended, as the texture tends to be off when reheating. However, you can still freeze the entire prepared dish or leftovers by adding them to a freezer-safe dish and closing it tightly, removing as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months.

To reheat, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then follow reheating instructions for leftovers or bake as directed.

Reheating

For the best results, we love reheating baked gnocchi in the oven. Just add your leftovers to an oven-safe container and cover with aluminum foil. Bake in an oven preheated to 350˚F for 10 minutes or until warmed through. You can remove the foil in the last couple of minutes as long as the gnocchi isn’t dried out. (If it does seem dry, just add a splash of cream and stir.)

You could also place any leftovers in a microwave-safe dish and microwave (covered) for 60-90 seconds or until warmed through.

More Delicious Baked Pasta Recipes You Will Love

Close up on baked gnocchi being scooped out.
Baked gnocchi recipe card.
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Baked Gnocchi (with Sausage and Kale)

Our Baked Gnocchi with Sausage and Kale is a cozy, creamy dish with pillowy gnocchi, savory sausage, and tender kale, all baked in a rich Parmesan cream sauce.
Course dinner, lunch
Cuisine Italian-american
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 674kcal
Author Teri & Jenny

Ingredients

  • 1 pound gnocchi (or store-bought)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ pound mild Italian sausage
  • 1 bunch tuscan kale ribs removed and torn into bite sized pieces
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
  • 1 minced shallot about 1/3 cup
  • 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan
  • salt and pepper to taste

garnish

  • crushed red pepper flakes optional
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375˚F. In a large pan, add oil and place over medium-high heat. Add sausage and brown for 3 to 4 minutes, breaking up into bite-sized pieces.
  • Add kale and continue to sauté for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Transfer mixture into a mixing bowl and set aside.
  • Melt 2 tablespoons butter into pan and add gnocchi to the pan. Lightly brown for 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Transfer gnocchi into the same bowl as the sausage and kale.
  • Add shallots, garlic and cream into the skillet and simmer over medium heat.
  • Once the mixture has reduced by ⅓ add the Parmesan and stir. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Add the gnocchi mixture and continue to simmer over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Transfer mixture to a shallow baking dish and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until sauce has thickened.
  • Remove from heat, top with crushed pepper flakes, and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 674kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 1326mg | Potassium: 365mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 5919IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 278mg | Iron: 4mg

The post Baked Gnocchi (with Sausage and Kale) appeared first on Spoon Fork Bacon.

Baked Gnocchi (with Sausage and Kale)

Our Baked Gnocchi with Sausage and Kale is a cozy, comforting one-dish meal, brimming with rich and savory flavors. It looks and tastes good enough for date night but is easy enough to make at the end of a busy workday. While the ingredients are simple, they combine for a decadent and filling pasta dinner you’ll love. You can make homemade gnocchi using our Simple Homemade Gnocchi Recipe or store-bought; either will do the trick….

Read More

The post Baked Gnocchi (with Sausage and Kale) appeared first on Spoon Fork Bacon.

Baked gnocchi being scooped out onto a plate.

Our Baked Gnocchi with Sausage and Kale is a cozy, comforting one-dish meal, brimming with rich and savory flavors. It looks and tastes good enough for date night but is easy enough to make at the end of a busy workday. While the ingredients are simple, they combine for a decadent and filling pasta dinner you’ll love.

You can make homemade gnocchi using our Simple Homemade Gnocchi Recipe or store-bought; either will do the trick. You could even try our Sweet Potato Gnocchi for a fun and colorful twist! Whichever kind you choose, these soft, doughy potato dumplings pair perfectly with rich sausage and hearty kale. Once you love gnocchi as much as we do, you can even substitute it for noodles like we do in our favorite Chicken and Gnocchi Soup!

How to Make Baked Gnocchi

Ingredients

Baked gnocchi ingredients.

Process

  1. Preheat oven to 375˚F. In a large pan, add oil and place over medium-high heat. Add sausage and brown for 3 to 4 minutes, breaking up into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Add kale and continue to sauté for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.
Sausage cooking in a skillet.
Sausage and kale cooking in a skillet.
  1. Transfer mixture into a mixing bowl and set aside.
  2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter into pan and add gnocchi to the pan. Lightly brown for 2 to 3 minutes.
Sausage and kale in a bowl.
Gnocchi searing in a skillet.
  1. Transfer gnocchi into the same bowl as the sausage and kale.
  2. Add shallots, garlic, and cream to the skillet and simmer over medium heat.
Gnocchi added to a bowl with sausage and kale.
Shallots and garlic cooking in a skillet.
  1. Once the mixture has reduced by ⅓, add the Parmesan and stir. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Add the gnocchi mixture and continue to simmer over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
Cream sauce simmering to make baked gnocchi.
Gnocchi, kale, and sausage in a skillet being tossed with a cream sauce.
  1. Transfer the mixture to a shallow baking dish and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
  2. Remove from heat, top with crushed pepper flakes, and serve.
Gnocchi mixture in a pan about to go into the oven.
Baked gnocchi fresh out of the oven.

Important Tools You Will Need

Variations

  • Replace the heavy cream with a tomato sauce or marinara for a lighter, tangy flavor. For a ‘rosé style sauce, swap half the cream for marinara.
  • Add a tablespoon or two of pesto to the cream sauce for a light, herby flavor.
  • Add a scoop of Calabrian chili paste for heat.
  • Swap plain potato gnocchi for sweet potato, cauliflower, or whole wheat gnocchi.
  • Swap all or some cheese with mozzarella, fontina, or gouda cheese.
  • Use spinach or Swiss chard in place of the kale.
  • Add a handful of sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, or mushrooms for a unique burst of flavor to the dish.

Instructions for Using Frozen Gnocchi

You can use frozen gnocchi instead of fresh or dried gnocchi for this recipe.

To use frozen gnocchi, add them to the pan straight from the freezer (no thawing required), exactly as you would with fresh gnocchi. Just add a few minutes to the cooking time as you sauté. Frozen gnocchi will take closer to 5-6 minutes to thaw through and brown on the outside, as opposed to 2-3 minutes for fresh.

Tips and Tricks for Baked Gnocchi Success

  • To avoid overcooked and mushy gnocchi, do not boil them ahead of time or let them boil in the sauce. All they need is a few minutes to brown and a couple of minutes to simmer in the sauce before adding them to the pan to bake.
  • When sauteeing the kale, give it enough time to wilt. This helps the kale become tender as it bakes, so you won’t be stuck with tough, chewy pieces in your baked gnocchi.
  • Use fresh ingredients if you can. There isn’t much to this recipe, so quality is extremely important. Freshly grated parmesan cheese, quality sausage, and fresh garlic and shallots will shine through in this dish.
  • Be careful not to reduce the sauce too much as it’s simmering on the stove. It will continue to thicken as it bakes in the oven.
Baked gnocchi with some red pepper flakes on the side.

Make Ahead, Freezing and Reheating Instructions

Make Ahead

You can easily make this baked gnocchi dish up to 24 hours ahead of time by assembling the entire thing right up to the point of putting it in the oven or meal-prepping a couple of ingredients to shave time off of cooking during the week.

To meal prep the entire dish, follow the directions as written, and once you’ve added everything to the baking dish, let it cool before covering it with plastic wrap and a lid or aluminum foil. Refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to bake it, remove the dish from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then bake as directed. If it’s still cold when you put it in the oven, it may need an extra 5 minutes in the oven.

Or you can shave time off this meal by preparing separate components ahead of time and then assembling and baking when you’re ready. Brown the sausage, gnocchi, and kale let them cool and store the mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Then, when you’re ready to bake it, proceed with the recipe as written.

Baked gnocchi in a pan being scooped out to serve.

Freezing

Freezing dishes with cream sauces isn’t recommended, as the texture tends to be off when reheating. However, you can still freeze the entire prepared dish or leftovers by adding them to a freezer-safe dish and closing it tightly, removing as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months.

To reheat, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then follow reheating instructions for leftovers or bake as directed.

Reheating

For the best results, we love reheating baked gnocchi in the oven. Just add your leftovers to an oven-safe container and cover with aluminum foil. Bake in an oven preheated to 350˚F for 10 minutes or until warmed through. You can remove the foil in the last couple of minutes as long as the gnocchi isn’t dried out. (If it does seem dry, just add a splash of cream and stir.)

You could also place any leftovers in a microwave-safe dish and microwave (covered) for 60-90 seconds or until warmed through.

More Delicious Baked Pasta Recipes You Will Love

Close up on baked gnocchi being scooped out.
Baked gnocchi recipe card.
Print

Baked Gnocchi (with Sausage and Kale)

Our Baked Gnocchi with Sausage and Kale is a cozy, creamy dish with pillowy gnocchi, savory sausage, and tender kale, all baked in a rich Parmesan cream sauce.
Course dinner, lunch
Cuisine Italian-american
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 674kcal
Author Teri & Jenny

Ingredients

  • 1 pound gnocchi (or store-bought)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ pound mild Italian sausage
  • 1 bunch tuscan kale ribs removed and torn into bite sized pieces
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
  • 1 minced shallot about 1/3 cup
  • 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan
  • salt and pepper to taste

garnish

  • crushed red pepper flakes optional
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375˚F. In a large pan, add oil and place over medium-high heat. Add sausage and brown for 3 to 4 minutes, breaking up into bite-sized pieces.
  • Add kale and continue to sauté for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Transfer mixture into a mixing bowl and set aside.
  • Melt 2 tablespoons butter into pan and add gnocchi to the pan. Lightly brown for 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Transfer gnocchi into the same bowl as the sausage and kale.
  • Add shallots, garlic and cream into the skillet and simmer over medium heat.
  • Once the mixture has reduced by ⅓ add the Parmesan and stir. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Add the gnocchi mixture and continue to simmer over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Transfer mixture to a shallow baking dish and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until sauce has thickened.
  • Remove from heat, top with crushed pepper flakes, and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 674kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 1326mg | Potassium: 365mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 5919IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 278mg | Iron: 4mg

The post Baked Gnocchi (with Sausage and Kale) appeared first on Spoon Fork Bacon.

One Pot Pasta Recipe (with Zucchini and Sausage)

I love love love this One Pot Pasta Recipe with sausage and zucchini. One-pot dinners are our favorite type of weeknight meal. Like our other one-pot meals, Mulligatawny Soup and Fettuccine Alfredo, cooking is as easy as cleaning up with everything being one in one dish. While any one-pot pasta is a clear winner, we’ve combined savory spicy sausage with fresh zucchini, seasonings, plenty of parmesan cheese, and of course, pasta! We love using bucatini…

Read More

The post One Pot Pasta Recipe (with Zucchini and Sausage) appeared first on Spoon Fork Bacon.

One pot pasta with sausage and zucchini.

I love love love this One Pot Pasta Recipe with sausage and zucchini. One-pot dinners are our favorite type of weeknight meal. Like our other one-pot meals, Mulligatawny Soup and Fettuccine Alfredo, cooking is as easy as cleaning up with everything being one in one dish.

While any one-pot pasta is a clear winner, we’ve combined savory spicy sausage with fresh zucchini, seasonings, plenty of parmesan cheese, and of course, pasta! We love using bucatini for this recipe since its thicker texture holds up well with the chunky sausage and half-moons of zucchini. For an extra special weeknight dinner, serve with a big loaf of garlic bread and a simple side salad.

How to Make Our One Pot Pasta Recipe

Ingredients

One pot pasta recipe ingredients on a kitchen counter.

Process

  1. Place a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the oil and sauté the sausage until browned and crumbled, 2 to 3 minutes.
  2. Add onions and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes.
Sausage cooking in a pot.
Sausage and onions cooking in a pot to make one pot pasta.
  1. Add the zucchini, garlic and thyme and continue to sauté for 2 minutes, then season with salt and pepper.
  2. Pour stock into the pot and bring to a boil. Add pasta and lower heat to medium.
Sausage and onions in a pot with zucchini.
One pot pasta recipe cooking in a pot.
  1. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the pasta is al dente, then season with salt and pepper.
  2. Top with freshly grated parmesan and toss together.
Pasta with zucchini and sausage.
One pot pasta with parmesan on top.
  1. Adjust seasonings and serve one pot pasta with more fresh grated parmesan and thyme.
One pot pasta in a couple of bowls with a fork in it.

Tips for the BEST One Pot Pasta Recipe

Follow these tips for the best sausage and zucchini one pot pasta dinner!

  • When browning your sausage, crumble it as it cooks with a wooden spoon. We recommend leaving the crumbles a little larger (like in the pictures) to make it easier to get on the fork while eating.
  • Use freshly grated parmesan cheese. Pre-shredded parmesan can sometimes have anti-caking agents on it that prevent the cheese from melting into the smooth creamy sauce we’re after with this recipe.
  • If you’re substituting the bucatini with another type of pasta (might we recommend another long noodle like fettuccine or spaghetti), be sure to follow the directions on the box for how long to boil the particular noodles you’re using to prevent over-cooking them.

Variations

To mix things up a bit or use what you have, try these easy variations:

  • Use yellow summer squash instead of or in addition to the zucchini.
  • Along with parmesan cheese, you can also use pecorino romano or mozzarella cheese.
  • Swap the spicy Italian sausage with mild, or use chicken or turkey sausage instead.
  • If you don’t have bucatini, use spaghetti or fettuccini noodles instead.
  • Can swap the chicken stock with vegetable stock if needed.
Two bowls of one pot pasta recipe.

Delicious Side Dishes to Serve with Our One Pot Pasta

While this dish can absolutely be a one-pot meal with the pasta, veggies, and meat in one dish, it also goes amazingly well with:

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

To store any leftovers, keep this pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

To reheat, you can either microwave the pasta in 30-second increments until heated through or reheat it on the stovetop over low-medium heat until warmed through. If the pasta seems a little dry, just add a splash of chicken broth, and be sure to top with more freshly grated parmesan before enjoying your leftovers!

Close up on a bowl of one pot pasta.

More Delicious Pasta Recipes You Will Love

One pot pasta recipe in a bowl with a fork.
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One Pot Pasta Recipe (with Sausage and Zucchini)

Add this delicious and easy one pot pasta recipe to your weeknight menu (this week!) You'll love how simple and flavorful this dish is with spicy sausage, garden-fresh zucchini, and perfectly al dente bucatini pasta! And with only one pot to wash, clean up is just as easy!
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Italian, Italian-american
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 618kcal
Author Teri & Jenny

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 spicy Italian sausages casings removed
  • 1 chopped yellow onion
  • 2 zucchini sliced lengthwise, then thinly sliced (into half circles)
  • 2 minced garlic cloves
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced thyme
  • 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
  • 1/2 pound bucatini
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • salt and pepper to taste
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Place a large pot over medium-high heat. Add oil and sauté sausage until browned and crumbled, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add oninos and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Add zucchini, garlic and thyme and continue to sauté for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Pour stock into the pot and bring to a boil.
  • Add pasta and lower heat to medium.
  • Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and pasta is al dente. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Top pasta with parmesan and carefully toss until well combined. Adjust seasonings and serve with more fresh grated parmesan and thyme.

Notes

Follow these tips for the best sausage and zucchini one-pot pasta dinner!
    • When browning your sausage, crumble it as it cooks with a wooden spoon. We recommend leaving the crumbles a little larger (like in the pictures) to make it easier to get on the fork while eating.
    • Use freshly grated parmesan cheese. Pre-shredded parmesan can sometimes have anti-caking agents on it that prevent the cheese from melting into the smooth creamy sauce we’re after with this recipe.
    • If you’re substituting the bucatini with another type of pasta (might we recommend another long noodle like fettuccine or spaghetti), be sure to follow the directions on the box for how long to boil the particular noodles you’re using to prevent over-cooking them.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
To store any leftovers, keep this pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat, you can either microwave the pasta in 30-second increments until heated through or reheat it on the stovetop over low-medium heat until warmed through. If the pasta seems a little dry, just add a splash of chicken broth, and be sure to top with more freshly grated parmesan before enjoying your leftovers!
 

Nutrition

Calories: 618kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 1544mg | Potassium: 783mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 419IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 222mg | Iron: 3mg

The post One Pot Pasta Recipe (with Zucchini and Sausage) appeared first on Spoon Fork Bacon.

Butter Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta

One of my favorite things to make during the summer is this Butter Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta! This recipe is a great way to use up a lot of super ripe and seasonal cherry tomatoes that are readily available during the summer months. It’s also a simple recipe that isn’t very fussy, vegetarian friendly an can be easily adaptable. Also, just a little pro tip: the butter roasted cherry tomatoes themselves are to die for…

Read More

The post Butter Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta appeared first on Spoon Fork Bacon.

Butter Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta recipe in a bowl.

One of my favorite things to make during the summer is this Butter Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta! This recipe is a great way to use up a lot of super ripe and seasonal cherry tomatoes that are readily available during the summer months. It’s also a simple recipe that isn’t very fussy, vegetarian friendly an can be easily adaptable.

Also, just a little pro tip: the butter roasted cherry tomatoes themselves are to die for and can be used on so much more than just pasta. Spoon some over a piece of avocado or ricotta topped toast or throw some on top of a salad, just to name a couple ideas!

How to Make Our Cherry Tomato Pasta

Ingredients

Ingredients to make a butter roasted cherry tomato pasta recipe.

Process

  1. Preheat oven to 375˚F. Sprinkle cubed butter, garlic and thyme along bottom of a shallow baking dish.
  2. Top mixture with tomatoes. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Butter and thyme in a baking dish to roast cherry tomatoes.
Cherry tomatoes in a roasting pan with butter.
  1. Place tomatoes into the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and fold together until tomatoes are well coated in melted butter. Place tomatoes back into the oven for another 20 minutes or until tomato skins have begun to shrivel and the tomatoes themselves have slightly burst. Discard thyme sprigs.
  2. While tomatoes roast, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add a small handful of salt, followed by the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain into a colander, reserving 1/3 cup of the pasta liquid.
Cherry tomatoes roasted in a baking dish.
Spaghetti cooked in a collander.
  1. Carefully peel roasted garlic and mince.
  2. Add garlic back to tomatoes and toss together along with all the juices in the pan.
Roasted garlic being minced on a cutting board.
Roasted cherry tomatoes with minced garlic being added back in.
  1. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and a third of the tomatoes (with the juices).
  2. Add pasta to the skillet and toss together for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour reserved pasta water into the skillet and cook until liquid has mostly evaporated.
Roasted cherry tomatoes in a skillet to make a pasta dish
Roasted cherry tomato pasta in a skillet being tossed together.
  1. Sprinkle Parmesan over pasta.
  2. Toss together until Parmesan is evenly distributed.
Roasted cherry tomato pasta with parmesan on top.
Roasted cherry tomato pasta in a skillet.
  1. Transfer pasta to a platter and top with remaining tomato mixture (along with juices). Top with fresh basil leaves and more freshly grated Parmesan. Serve.
Butter roasted cherry tomato recipe in a bowl with some basil on the side.

Tips and Tricks for Cherry Tomato Pasta Success

  • Roast the tomatoes ahead of time (up to a week!), to save time when making the cherry tomato pasta.
  • Although not completely necessary I love using this ribbed baking dish for roasting tomatoes (and for general baking!) It really helps to prevent any tomatoes from sticking to the bottom of the baking dish.
  • Although you’ll have some liquid from the butter and tomato juices the reserved pasta water is important! It adds a bit of starchy liquid to mixture, which helps create a “sauce” for the pasta, especially once the Parmesan is added.

Make Ahead Instructions for Our Cherry Tomato Pasta

Pasta

The pasta can be boiled up to 3 days ahead of time. Once the pasta is drained, run it under cool water to stop the cooking process, then transfer the well drained pasta to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days, until ready to use. Separately store cooled pasta water in an airtight container.

Once you’re ready to use the pasta, transfer back to a colander and run under warm water until pliable. Heat the reserved pasta water back up in a microwave or in a small pot over the stove and set aside.

Cherry Tomatoes

The cherry tomatoes can be roasted up to 7 days ahead of time. Once roasted tomatoes have cooled, peel garlic, mince and stir back into tomatoes. Then transfer entire mixture to an airtight container until ready to use.

When ready to use, discard thyme sprigs, then warm tomato mixture back up in the microwave or transfer mixture to a pot and simmer until warmed.

Butter roasted cherry tomato pasta recipe in a bowl with basil on the side.

Other Uses for Our Butter Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

As I mentioned earlier, the butter roasted cherry tomatoes can be used beyond this pasta dish! Some of my favorite uses are:

  • Spooned onto avocado (or ricotta) toast.
  • Tossed into a salad or grain bowl.
  • Served alongside crackers, crostini and other dips.
  • Smashed and spread onto a sandwich or in a wrap/pita.
  • Stirred into risotto.
  • As a delicious pizza or flatbread topping.
A big pile of butter roasted cherry tomato pasta in a bowl.

More Delicious Cherry Tomato Recipes You Will Love:

Butter roasted cherry tomato pasta with basil on top and parmesan.
Print

Butter Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta

A deliciously simple recipe for Butter Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta! It's the perfect summertime dinner that also happens to be vegetarian friendly! Roasting the cherry tomatoes in butter really takes this recipe to the next level!
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Italian, Italian-american
Diet Vegetarian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 562kcal
Author Teri & Jenny

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed
  • 2 garlic cloves (with skins on), lightly smashed
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes
  • 8 ounces spaghetti
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan plus more for garnish
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • fresh basil leaves garnish
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375˚F.
  • Spread butter, garlic and thyme along bottom of a shallow baking dish and top with tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Place tomatoes into the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and fold together until tomatoes are well coated in melted butter. Place tomatoes back into the oven for another 20 minutes or until tomato skins have begun to shrivel and the tomatoes themselves have slightly burst.
  • While tomatoes roast, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
  • Add a small handful of salt, followed by the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain into a colander, reserving 1/3 cup of the pasta liquid.
  • Remove tomatoes from oven and discard thyme sprigs and any tomato stems. Carefully peel garlic and mince. Add garlic back to tomatoes and toss together along with all the juices in the pan.
  • Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and a third of the tomatoes (with the juices).
  • Add pasta to the skillet and toss together for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Pour reserved pasta water into the skillet and cook until liquid has evaporated.
  • Sprinkle Parmesan over pasta and toss together until evenly distributed.
  • Transfer pasta to a platter and top with remaining tomato mixture (along with juices).
  • Top with fresh basil leaves and loads more freshly grated Parmesan. Serve.

Notes

Tips and Tricks for Cherry Tomato Pasta Success
  • Roast the tomatoes ahead of time (up to a week!), to save time when making the cherry tomato pasta.
  • Although not completely necessary I love using this ribbed baking dish for roasting tomatoes (and for general baking!) It really helps to prevent any tomatoes from sticking to the bottom of the baking dish.
  • Although you’ll have some liquid from the butter and tomato juices the reserved pasta water is important! It adds a bit of starchy liquid to mixture, which helps create a “sauce” for the pasta, especially once the Parmesan is added.
Make Ahead Instructions for Our Cherry Tomato Pasta
Pasta
The pasta can be boiled up to 3 days ahead of time. Once the pasta is drained, run it under cool water to stop the cooking process, then transfer the well drained pasta to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days, until ready to use. Separately store cooled pasta water in an airtight container.
Once you’re ready to use the pasta, transfer back to a colander and run under warm water until pliable. Heat the reserved pasta water back up in a microwave or in a small pot over the stove and set aside.
Cherry Tomatoes
The cherry tomatoes can be roasted up to 7 days ahead of time. Once roasted tomatoes have cooled, peel garlic, mince and stir back into tomatoes. Then transfer entire mixture to an airtight container until ready to use.
When ready to use, discard thyme sprigs, then warm tomato mixture back up in the microwave or transfer mixture to a pot and simmer until warmed.

Nutrition

Calories: 562kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 253mg | Potassium: 526mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1666IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 210mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Butter Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta appeared first on Spoon Fork Bacon.

Butter Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta

One of my favorite things to make during the summer is this Butter Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta! This recipe is a great way to use up a lot of super ripe and seasonal cherry tomatoes that are readily available during the summer months. It’s also a simple recipe that isn’t very fussy, vegetarian friendly an can be easily adaptable. Also, just a little pro tip: the butter roasted cherry tomatoes themselves are to die for…

Read More

The post Butter Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta appeared first on Spoon Fork Bacon.

Butter Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta recipe in a bowl.

One of my favorite things to make during the summer is this Butter Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta! This recipe is a great way to use up a lot of super ripe and seasonal cherry tomatoes that are readily available during the summer months. It’s also a simple recipe that isn’t very fussy, vegetarian friendly an can be easily adaptable.

Also, just a little pro tip: the butter roasted cherry tomatoes themselves are to die for and can be used on so much more than just pasta. Spoon some over a piece of avocado or ricotta topped toast or throw some on top of a salad, just to name a couple ideas!

How to Make Our Cherry Tomato Pasta

Ingredients

Ingredients to make a butter roasted cherry tomato pasta recipe.

Process

  1. Preheat oven to 375˚F. Sprinkle cubed butter, garlic and thyme along bottom of a shallow baking dish.
  2. Top mixture with tomatoes. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Butter and thyme in a baking dish to roast cherry tomatoes.
Cherry tomatoes in a roasting pan with butter.
  1. Place tomatoes into the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and fold together until tomatoes are well coated in melted butter. Place tomatoes back into the oven for another 20 minutes or until tomato skins have begun to shrivel and the tomatoes themselves have slightly burst. Discard thyme sprigs.
  2. While tomatoes roast, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add a small handful of salt, followed by the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain into a colander, reserving 1/3 cup of the pasta liquid.
Cherry tomatoes roasted in a baking dish.
Spaghetti cooked in a collander.
  1. Carefully peel roasted garlic and mince.
  2. Add garlic back to tomatoes and toss together along with all the juices in the pan.
Roasted garlic being minced on a cutting board.
Roasted cherry tomatoes with minced garlic being added back in.
  1. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and a third of the tomatoes (with the juices).
  2. Add pasta to the skillet and toss together for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour reserved pasta water into the skillet and cook until liquid has mostly evaporated.
Roasted cherry tomatoes in a skillet to make a pasta dish
Roasted cherry tomato pasta in a skillet being tossed together.
  1. Sprinkle Parmesan over pasta.
  2. Toss together until Parmesan is evenly distributed.
Roasted cherry tomato pasta with parmesan on top.
Roasted cherry tomato pasta in a skillet.
  1. Transfer pasta to a platter and top with remaining tomato mixture (along with juices). Top with fresh basil leaves and more freshly grated Parmesan. Serve.
Butter roasted cherry tomato recipe in a bowl with some basil on the side.

Tips and Tricks for Cherry Tomato Pasta Success

  • Roast the tomatoes ahead of time (up to a week!), to save time when making the cherry tomato pasta.
  • Although not completely necessary I love using this ribbed baking dish for roasting tomatoes (and for general baking!) It really helps to prevent any tomatoes from sticking to the bottom of the baking dish.
  • Although you’ll have some liquid from the butter and tomato juices the reserved pasta water is important! It adds a bit of starchy liquid to mixture, which helps create a “sauce” for the pasta, especially once the Parmesan is added.

Make Ahead Instructions for Our Cherry Tomato Pasta

Pasta

The pasta can be boiled up to 3 days ahead of time. Once the pasta is drained, run it under cool water to stop the cooking process, then transfer the well drained pasta to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days, until ready to use. Separately store cooled pasta water in an airtight container.

Once you’re ready to use the pasta, transfer back to a colander and run under warm water until pliable. Heat the reserved pasta water back up in a microwave or in a small pot over the stove and set aside.

Cherry Tomatoes

The cherry tomatoes can be roasted up to 7 days ahead of time. Once roasted tomatoes have cooled, peel garlic, mince and stir back into tomatoes. Then transfer entire mixture to an airtight container until ready to use.

When ready to use, discard thyme sprigs, then warm tomato mixture back up in the microwave or transfer mixture to a pot and simmer until warmed.

Butter roasted cherry tomato pasta recipe in a bowl with basil on the side.

Other Uses for Our Butter Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

As I mentioned earlier, the butter roasted cherry tomatoes can be used beyond this pasta dish! Some of my favorite uses are:

  • Spooned onto avocado (or ricotta) toast.
  • Tossed into a salad or grain bowl.
  • Served alongside crackers, crostini and other dips.
  • Smashed and spread onto a sandwich or in a wrap/pita.
  • Stirred into risotto.
  • As a delicious pizza or flatbread topping.
A big pile of butter roasted cherry tomato pasta in a bowl.

More Delicious Cherry Tomato Recipes You Will Love:

Butter roasted cherry tomato pasta with basil on top and parmesan.
Print

Butter Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta

A deliciously simple recipe for Butter Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta! It's the perfect summertime dinner that also happens to be vegetarian friendly! Roasting the cherry tomatoes in butter really takes this recipe to the next level!
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Italian, Italian-american
Diet Vegetarian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 562kcal
Author Teri & Jenny

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed
  • 2 garlic cloves (with skins on), lightly smashed
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes
  • 8 ounces spaghetti
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan plus more for garnish
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • fresh basil leaves garnish
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375˚F.
  • Spread butter, garlic and thyme along bottom of a shallow baking dish and top with tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Place tomatoes into the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and fold together until tomatoes are well coated in melted butter. Place tomatoes back into the oven for another 20 minutes or until tomato skins have begun to shrivel and the tomatoes themselves have slightly burst.
  • While tomatoes roast, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
  • Add a small handful of salt, followed by the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain into a colander, reserving 1/3 cup of the pasta liquid.
  • Remove tomatoes from oven and discard thyme sprigs and any tomato stems. Carefully peel garlic and mince. Add garlic back to tomatoes and toss together along with all the juices in the pan.
  • Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and a third of the tomatoes (with the juices).
  • Add pasta to the skillet and toss together for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Pour reserved pasta water into the skillet and cook until liquid has evaporated.
  • Sprinkle Parmesan over pasta and toss together until evenly distributed.
  • Transfer pasta to a platter and top with remaining tomato mixture (along with juices).
  • Top with fresh basil leaves and loads more freshly grated Parmesan. Serve.

Notes

Tips and Tricks for Cherry Tomato Pasta Success
  • Roast the tomatoes ahead of time (up to a week!), to save time when making the cherry tomato pasta.
  • Although not completely necessary I love using this ribbed baking dish for roasting tomatoes (and for general baking!) It really helps to prevent any tomatoes from sticking to the bottom of the baking dish.
  • Although you’ll have some liquid from the butter and tomato juices the reserved pasta water is important! It adds a bit of starchy liquid to mixture, which helps create a “sauce” for the pasta, especially once the Parmesan is added.
Make Ahead Instructions for Our Cherry Tomato Pasta
Pasta
The pasta can be boiled up to 3 days ahead of time. Once the pasta is drained, run it under cool water to stop the cooking process, then transfer the well drained pasta to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days, until ready to use. Separately store cooled pasta water in an airtight container.
Once you’re ready to use the pasta, transfer back to a colander and run under warm water until pliable. Heat the reserved pasta water back up in a microwave or in a small pot over the stove and set aside.
Cherry Tomatoes
The cherry tomatoes can be roasted up to 7 days ahead of time. Once roasted tomatoes have cooled, peel garlic, mince and stir back into tomatoes. Then transfer entire mixture to an airtight container until ready to use.
When ready to use, discard thyme sprigs, then warm tomato mixture back up in the microwave or transfer mixture to a pot and simmer until warmed.

Nutrition

Calories: 562kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 253mg | Potassium: 526mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1666IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 210mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Butter Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta appeared first on Spoon Fork Bacon.

Fresh Tomato Sauce

Let’s dive right into this Fresh Tomato Sauce recipe, shall we? Seriously, we love this recipe so very much. There’s nothing quite like making a batch of tomato sauce using FRESH tomatoes! The results are light, sweet, tangy, slightly acidic, and incredibly flavorful! I love to hang onto a few roasted tomatoes, before blending the rest into the sauce, to top each serving with a little burst of goodness. We simply toss the sauce with…

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The post Fresh Tomato Sauce appeared first on Spoon Fork Bacon.

Fresh tomato sauce pasta in bowls ready to be served.

Let’s dive right into this Fresh Tomato Sauce recipe, shall we? Seriously, we love this recipe so very much. There’s nothing quite like making a batch of tomato sauce using FRESH tomatoes! The results are light, sweet, tangy, slightly acidic, and incredibly flavorful!

I love to hang onto a few roasted tomatoes, before blending the rest into the sauce, to top each serving with a little burst of goodness. We simply toss the sauce with some pasta (our favorite is bucatini) and then top it off with the roasted tomatoes, fresh basil, a lil freshly grated Parmesan and that’s it! A true summer in a bowl sort of meal!

How to Make Fresh Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

Tomato sauce pasta ingredients ready to be cooked with.

Process

  1. Preheat oven to 375˚F. In a ceramic or glass baking dish combine tomatoes, garlic, shallot, and thyme. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss together.
  2. Place tomato mixture into the oven and roast for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and toss together. Place tomatoes back into the oven for another 15 minutes or until tomato skins have begun to shrivel and the tomatoes themselves have slightly burst.
Cherry tomatoes in a baking dish with herbs and butter ready to be roasted.
Cherry tomatoes roasted in a baking dish.
  1. Remove tomatoes from oven and discard thyme sprigs. Pour roasted tomato mixture into a blender, reserving about 1 1/2 cups roasted cherry tomatoes for garnish.
  2. Blend tomato mixture until “chunky-smooth”.
Roasted cherry tomatoes in a blender.
Fresh tomato sauce in a blender.
  1. Pour mixture into a skillet. Place over medium heat and simmer. Stir in tomato paste and basil and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Stir and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, until slightly thickened.
Tomato sauce in a skillet being cooked down.
Tomato sauce in a skillet with a wood spoon being simmered.
  1. Remove from heat and stir in butter.
  2. Add pasta and toss together until well coated.
Tomato sauce in a skillet being cooked down with butter being added.
Fresh tomato sauce recipe being tossed with pasta.
  1. Top with reserved roasted cherry tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, and grated Parmesan.Serve.
Fresh tomato sauce with pasta in a bowl.

Is Tomato Paste Necessary?

Yes! I know it seems strange to add tomato paste to a fresh tomato sauce, but the tomato paste is actually what gives the sauce body. Without it the tomato sauce would resemble something closer to a watery, thin sauce. Not only does it help to give the sauce body, but because it’s so concentrated, it also gives the sauce a nice depth of tomato flavor.

Tips and Tricks for Success

  • As mentioned above, add tomato paste! It will really help add body and depth of flavor to your sauce. Otherwise you may end up with more of a ‘tomato water’ than sauce.
  • Although you don’t have to reserve some of the roasted cherry tomatoes for garnish, I think it makes a huge difference, especially when serving with pasta. The bursts of concentrated fresh tomato is the best!
  • Although we don’t do this, if you want a smoother consistency with your sauce (and you want to omit the seeds), instead of blending it up, you can run the tomatoes through a food mill.
Tomato sauce pasta in a bowl with a fork on the side.

Canning Fresh Pasta Sauce

Fresh pasta sauce can have a pretty long shelf life, especially when properly canned. When properly canned, you can also keep your pasta sauce in the pantry for 12 to 18 month at a time! We love using this step by step guide for basic canning!

Once you open/unseal the jar of sauce, any unused sauce should be refrigerated in an airtight container and used within 4 to 5 days.

What to Serve with our Fresh Tomato Sauce (Pasta)

We obviously love this tomato sauce tossed with some pasta, but we also love using it as a dipping sauce for a variety of things like:

Tomato sauce pasta in a bowl.

More Delicious Fresh Tomato Recipes You Will Love

Fresh tomato sauce pasta in bowls ready to be served.
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Fresh Tomato Sauce

It's hard to beat the flavors from a Fresh Tomato Sauce! This summer, take full advantage of all the delicious, ripe tomatoes and make our sauce! Everyone will be so impressed by the flavors! Toss it with your favorite pasta or use it for dipping delicious bread, for the best tomato sauce experience!
Course dinner, lunch, sauce
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 216kcal
Author Teri & Jenny

Ingredients

fresh tomato sauce

  • 2 pounds cherry tomatoes
  • 4 garlic cloves gently smashed
  • 1 shallot roughly chopped
  • 5 thyme sprigs
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons minced basil leaves plus more for garnish
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • salt and pepper to taste

serving suggestion

  • 8 ounces cooked bucatini (or pasta of choice)
  • fresh grated parmesan garnish
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375˚F. In a ceramic or glass baking dish combine tomatoes, garlic, shallot, and thyme. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss together.
  • Place tomato mixture into the oven and roast for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and toss together.
  • Place tomatoes back into the oven for another 15 minutes or until tomato skins have begun to shrivel and the tomatoes themselves have slightly burst.
  • Remove tomatoes from oven and discard thyme sprigs.
  • Pour roasted tomato mixture into a blender, reserving about 1 1/2 cups roasted cherry tomatoes for garnish.
  • Blend tomato mixture until “chunky-smooth”. Pour mixture into a skillet.
  • Place over medium heat and simmer.
  • Stir in tomato paste and basil and season with salt and pepper. Stir and simmer for 4to 5 minutes, until slightly thickened.
  • Remove from heat and stir in butter. Add pasta and toss together until well coated.
  • Top with reserved roasted cherry tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, and grated Parmesan.Serve.

Notes

**Nutritional Information does not include pasta or Parmesan garnish**
Tips and Tricks for Success
  • Add tomato paste! It will really help add body and depth of flavor to your sauce. Otherwise you may end up with more of a ‘tomato water’ than sauce.
  • Although you don’t have to reserve some of the roasted cherry tomatoes for garnish, I think it makes a huge difference, especially when serving with pasta. The bursts of concentrated fresh tomato is the best!
  • Although we don’t do this, if you want a smoother consistency with your sauce (and you want to omit the seeds), instead of blending it up, you can run the tomatoes through a food mill.

Nutrition

Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 963mg | Potassium: 621mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1.519IU | Vitamin C: 57mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Fresh Tomato Sauce appeared first on Spoon Fork Bacon.

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

I love Hawaiian Macaroni Salad so much! It’s delicious, creamy and so simple to make! It’s the perfect side dish to bring to a bbq or picnic. It also holds and transports really well and can be made ahead of time! Ours is extra special because we add a small scoop of canned tuna into our mac salad, giving it an extra special, delicious flavor. Trust us, it’s the key ingredient in our simple and…

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The post Hawaiian Macaroni Salad appeared first on Spoon Fork Bacon.

Hawaiian style macaroni salad in a bowl with serving bowls nearby.

I love Hawaiian Macaroni Salad so much! It’s delicious, creamy and so simple to make! It’s the perfect side dish to bring to a bbq or picnic. It also holds and transports really well and can be made ahead of time!

Ours is extra special because we add a small scoop of canned tuna into our mac salad, giving it an extra special, delicious flavor. Trust us, it’s the key ingredient in our simple and very delicious Hawaiian macaroni salad!

How to Make Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

Ingredients

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad ingredients on a kitchen counter.

Process

  1. Fill a large pot with water, place over high heat and bring to a boil. Add some salt and the macaroni and stir. Boil macaroni for about 7 to 8 minutes stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside.
  2. Place mayonnaise, tuna and vinegar in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Cooked elbow macaroni in a colander.
The start of making Hawaiian style macaroni salad.
  1. Stir together.
  2. In a large bowl combine macaroni, celery, carrot, red onion, and mayo mixture.
Making Hawaiian style macaroni salad.
Hawaiian style macaroni salad ingredients in a bowl.
  1. Fold together until thoroughly mixed together. Season with salt and pepper. Place mixture in the refrigerator for at least an hour and season with more salt and pepper, as needed, before serving.
Hawaiian style macaroni salad in a bowl.

Tools You Will Need

Macaroni salad made in the Hawaiian style in a bowl with a spoon in it.

Why Add Tuna?

I know the addition of canned tuna might sound strange, but it adds a really nice touch of savory, delicious yet subtle umami flavor to the overall dish – without making the macaroni salad taste fishy at all (I promise!). It’s what makes our Hawaiian macaroni salad truly special!

Variations for our Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

  • If you want a more authentic version, you can omit the celery and red onion and grate the carrot instead.
  • Sometimes I like to add bonito flakes, instead of tuna, to the mayo mixture for an even more savory and umami flavor. If replacing the tuna for bonito flakes, just add 1 1/2 teaspoons.
  • You can swap out the mayo for Kewpie, which is a Japanese mayonnaise. It has a richer, more eggy and slightly sweeter flavor than American mayonnaise and is delicious!
  • For a vegan version, replace the mayonnaise with veganaise and either omit the tuna or replace it with a tuna alternative.

Is Our Mac Salad Traditional?

Our recipe is slightly untraditional. We don’t grate our onion or carrot (plus we use red onion instead of sweet or yellow onion). We also use more celery than most recipes and as mentioned above, we add a scoop of tuna into our creamy dressing.

I personally like the added crunch of the larger pieces of veggies, but you can definitely make it more traditional by grating the onion and carrot. You can also omit the tuna, although I enjoy the umami flavor it adds!

Hawaiian style macaroni salad in a bowl with some served.

Healthier Macaroni Salad Option

Yes, there’s a lot of mayo in this recipe. It’s what makes the salad extra creamy and delicious, but if you’re looking for a healthier version you can sub some or all of the mayo with plain greek yogurt or some whipped cottage cheese!

Make Ahead Instructions

Our macaroni salad can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If making ahead of time, reserve 2/3 cup of the may mixture and fold it into the macaroni salad before serving.

What to Serve with Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

The creamy side dish goes really well with a variety of dishes. Some of our favorite dishes to serve our mac salad with are:

Close up on a big bowl of Hawaiian Macaroni Salad recipe.

More Delicious Side Dishes You Will Love

Hawaiian style macaroni salad in a bowl with serving bowls nearby.
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Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

A rich and creamy Hawaiian Macaroni Salad recipe that only requires a handful of ingredients and couldn't be easier to make! It's a delicious side dish that pairs so well with so many different dishes, like Carne Asada, Bulgogi, and BBQ Beef Brisket!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine hawaiian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 18 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 343kcal
Author Teri & Jenny

Ingredients

  • ½ pound elbow macaroni
  • 1 small carrot peeled and diced
  • 1 celery stalk trimmed and diced
  • 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
  • 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons canned tuna drained
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • salt and pepper to taste
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Fill a large pot with water, place over high heat and bring to a boil. Add some salt and the macaroni and stir. Boil macaroni for about 7 to 8 minutes stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside.
  • Place mayonnaise, tuna and vinegar in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and stir together.
  • In a large bowl combine macaroni, celery, carrot, red onion, and mayo mixture.
  • Fold together until thoroughly mixed together. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Place mixture in the refrigerator for at least an hour and season with more salt and pepper, as needed, before serving.

Notes

Healthier Macaroni Salad Option

If you’re looking for a slightly healthier version, you can sub some or all of the mayo with plain greek yogurt or whipped cottage cheese!

Make Ahead Instructions

Our macaroni salad can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If making ahead of time, reserve 2/3 cup of the may mixture and fold it into the macaroni salad before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 203mg | Potassium: 144mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1723IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Hawaiian Macaroni Salad appeared first on Spoon Fork Bacon.

Tuscan Chicken Pasta

The only thing better than our Creamy Tuscan Chicken is when the creamy Tuscan chicken is served over perfectly al dente rigatoni noodles. Paired with pasta, you really can’t beat it! In just 30 minutes, you’ll enjoy the comforting flavors of earthy spinach, tangy sun-dried tomatoes, and nutty parmesan combined in a creamy, savory sauce over chicken and pasta. If you thought these flavors were reserved for your favorite restaurant order, give this meal a…

Read More

The post Tuscan Chicken Pasta appeared first on Spoon Fork Bacon.

Tuscan chicken pasta on a plate with a fork next to it.

The only thing better than our Creamy Tuscan Chicken is when the creamy Tuscan chicken is served over perfectly al dente rigatoni noodles. Paired with pasta, you really can’t beat it!

In just 30 minutes, you’ll enjoy the comforting flavors of earthy spinach, tangy sun-dried tomatoes, and nutty parmesan combined in a creamy, savory sauce over chicken and pasta. If you thought these flavors were reserved for your favorite restaurant order, give this meal a whirl. It might just become one of your favorites, like it did ours!

How to Make Tuscan Chicken Pasta

Ingredients

Tuscan chicken pasta ingredients on a kitchen counter.

Process

  1. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper and dredge in flour, shaking off any excess.
  2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add coated chicken and sear for about 3 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
Chicken coated in flour to make tuscan chicken pasta.
Searing chicken in a skillet to make tuscan chicken pasta.
  1. Melt the remaining butter and add the onion and garlic. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the onions just begin to cook down. Season with salt and pepper. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and continue to sauté for 1 to 2 minutes.
  2. Stir cream and 1/3 cup pasta water into skillet and simmer until cream reduces slightly, about 4 minutes. Stir Parmesan into the cream mixture until smooth and creamy.
Garlic, onion, and sun dried tomatoes cooking in a skillet.
Tuscan chicken pasta sauce simmering in a skillet.
  1. Add spinach to skillet and stir until spinach leaves have just wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Stir chicken back into skillet and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
Spinach added to sauce to make tuscan chicken pasta recipe.
Chicken mixed in the sauce to make tuscan chicken pasta.
  1. Stir in pasta until completely combined (adding remaining pasta water, as needed). Season with more salt and pepper and top with basil leaves and or pepper flakes, if using. Serve.
Tuscan chicken pasta in a skillet freshly made.

Tips and Tricks to Make the Best Tuscan Chicken Pasta

  • Fresh spinach leaves work well for this recipe, but you can also use fresh whole leaves that have been frozen. If using frozen chopped spinach, make sure to thaw and drain well, or it may make the sauce too thin and watery.
  • Dice the chicken into uniform pieces so that it cooks evenly. When sautéing the chicken, try not to overcrowd the pan, leaving a small amount of space between each piece.
  • Only cook the pasta until it’s just al dente. It will soak up some of the sauce, adding more tenderness to the pasta as it sits.
  • Don’t toss out that pasta water! As the pasta boils, it adds starch to the water, which helps add extra creaminess to the sauce without making it too heavy with cream.
Tuscan chicken pasta on a plate with some red pepper flakes on the side.

Variations

  • Make it dairy free. Use almond milk instead of cream, swap the butter for dairy-free butter or olive oil, and dairy-free parmesan cheese.
  • Vegetarian Tuscan Pasta. Instead of using chicken, enjoy the sauce with just pasta or substitute the chicken for tofu or white beans.
  • Add vegetables. Saute sliced or diced mushrooms, eggplant, zucchini, artichoke hearts, or asparagus with the onion and garlic to add extra flavor and nutrition to this dish.
  • Switch up the cheese. Parmesan adds a delicious nutty flavor to this recipe, but you can also add a dollop of ricotta cheese for extra creaminess or goat cheese for a bit more tangy flavor.
  • Play with spices and herbs. We top this pasta with fresh basil and crushed red pepper flakes, but you can play around with different flavors. Oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley, smoked paprika, and chives are a few to try!

What to Serve with Tuscan Chicken Pasta

For a complete meal, serve this Tuscan pasta and chicken with:

Tuscan chicken pasta on two plates with drinks and forks on the side.

More Delicious Pasta Recipes You Will Love

Tuscan chicken pasta on a plate with a fork next to it.
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Tuscan Chicken Pasta

This creamy Tuscan chicken pasta recipe is the ultimate comfort meal. In just 30 minutes, you'll enjoy the flavors of sundried tomatoes, earthy spinach, and nutty parmesan, all in a rich and creamy sauce with savory chicken and tender noodles.
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Italian-american
Servings 4
Calories 605kcal
Author Teri & Jenny

Ingredients

tuscan chicken

  • 2 (12 ounces) boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 yellow onion diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil) thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 3 ounces grated Parmesan plus more for serving
  • 4 ounces spinach leaves
  • salt and pepper to taste

pasta

  • 8 ounces cooked fusilli (along with 1/2 cup reserved pasta water)

garnishes

  • fresh basil leaves
  • crushed pepper flakes optional
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper and dredge in flour, shaking off any excess.
  • Melt 2 tablespoons butter to a skillet over medium heat.
  • Add coated chicken and sear for about 3 minutes on each side.
  • Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
  • Melt remaining butter and add onion and garlic. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until onions just begin to cook down. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Add sun-dried tomatoes and continue to sauté for 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Stir cream and 1/3 cup pasta water into skillet and simmer until cream reduces slightly, about 4 minutes.
  • Stir Parmesan into cream mixture until smooth creamy.
  • Add spinach to skillet and stir until spinach leaves have just wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Stir chicken back into skillet and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Stir in pasta until completely combined (adding remaining pasta water, as needed).
  • Season with more salt and pepper and top with basil leaves and or pepper flakes, if using. Serve.

Notes

Tips and Tricks to Make the Best Tuscan Chicken Pasta
  • Fresh spinach leaves work well for this recipe, but you can also use fresh whole leaves that have been frozen. If using frozen chopped spinach, make sure to thaw and drain well, or it may make the sauce too thin and watery.
  • Dice the chicken into uniform pieces so that it cooks evenly. When sautéing the chicken, try not to overcrowd the pan, leaving a small amount of space between each piece.
  • Only cook the pasta until it’s just al dente. It will soak up some of the sauce, adding more tenderness to the pasta as it sits.
  • Don’t toss out that pasta water! As the pasta boils, it adds starch to the water, which helps add extra creaminess to the sauce without making it too heavy with cream.

Nutrition

Calories: 605kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 1312mg | Potassium: 441mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 4505IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 290mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Tuscan Chicken Pasta appeared first on Spoon Fork Bacon.

Romesco Sauce with Rigatoni

The key to any delicious pasta meal is the sauce, and this romesco sauce is soon to be your favorite – right up there with our homemade vodka sauce and bolognese sauce. Our creamy romesco sauce is made from blended roasted red peppers, almonds, tomato paste, and herbs, creating a rich and flavorful dish that’s only made better by the buttery parmesan herb breadcrumbs sprinkled on top! This entire recipe takes less than 30 minutes…

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The post Romesco Sauce with Rigatoni appeared first on Spoon Fork Bacon.

Romesco sauce pasta in a skillet ready to be served.

The key to any delicious pasta meal is the sauce, and this romesco sauce is soon to be your favorite – right up there with our homemade vodka sauce and bolognese sauce. Our creamy romesco sauce is made from blended roasted red peppers, almonds, tomato paste, and herbs, creating a rich and flavorful dish that’s only made better by the buttery parmesan herb breadcrumbs sprinkled on top!

This entire recipe takes less than 30 minutes and is easily customizable to add protein and vegetables or be eaten just as it is. It’s the perfect weeknight meal and can even be made days or months ahead to enjoy anytime the craving strikes (and we know it will!).

What is Romesco Sauce?

While it’s a perfect pairing for pasta, romesco sauce can be used for so much more. Originally from the Catalonia region of Spain, romesco sauce is a blend of roasted red peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and almonds, with a little wiggle room for bonus ingredients like lemon, parsley, basil, or other spices and seasonings to make it your own.

When blended, the ingredients create a vibrant, rich, and slightly smoky sauce – almost like a cross between pesto and salsa. While it was traditionally served with fish, we love it tossed with pasta or dipped, spread, and drizzled over just about everything else!

How to Make Romesco Sauce with Rigatoni

Ingredients

Ingredients to make romesco sauce pasta.

Process

  1. Fill a pot with water, place it over high heat, and bring it to a boil. Add a small handful of salt and rigatoni and boil, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 6 to 7 minutes. Drain the pasta into a colander, reserving 2/3 cup of pasta water. Set aside.
  2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat, then add breadcrumbs. Stir and toast the breadcrumbs for 3 to 4 minutes, then remove from heat.
Cooked pasta in a colander.
Breadcrumbs toasting in a skillet.
  1. Once the mixture has cooled, stir in Parmesan. Set aside.
  2. Place all sauce ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth.
Breadcrumbs mixed with parmesan in a skillet.
Romesco sauce pasta ingredients in a blender.
  1. Pour mixture into skillet and place over medium-low heat. Stir in reserved pasta water and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
  2. Add pasta into the sauce and toss together until the pasta is fully coated—season with salt and pepper.
Romesco sauce pasta in a skillet simmering.
Rigatoni pasta being mixed with romesco sauce in a skillet.
  1. Pour coated pasta onto a serving platter, top with buttered parmesan-herb breadcrumbs, and serve.
Close up in a skillet of romesco sauce with breadcrumbs on top.

Is Romesco Sauce Only for Pasta?

While it’s mouthwatering on pasta, there are many more romesco sauce uses you need to try!

Romesco sauce pasta being served onto a plate with a fork.

Make Ahead, Freezing, and Reheating Instructions

Make Ahead

To make this meal even easier, you can make the romesco sauce ahead of time, so all you have to do the night of is boil your pasta and quickly make your breadcrumbs.

In our opinion, romesco sauce that’s sat in the refrigerator for a day or two is even better than fresh sauce, as the flavors become richer and they have time to meld together. Just make the recipe for the sauce as directed, let it cool, and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To make the pasta ahead, boil it until slightly al dente, drain, toss with a little olive oil, then let it cool completely. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.

Freezing

Romesco sauce is perfect for freezing as the texture and flavor stay the same. This makes it a great sauce to prepare in double or triple batches, freezing the rest for later! Portion the sauce into freezer bags, lay them flat, and freeze for up to 3 months.

You can also freeze the entire pasta dish (minus the breadcrumb mixture) to reheat and enjoy at a later date. Make the sauce and the pasta and combine as directed. Once cooled, store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months. Do not freeze with the breadcrumb topping, as this will become soggy as they thaw.

Reheating

  • To reheat refrigerated romesco sauce, add it to a pot over the stove on low heat. Stir gently until warmed through.
  • To reheat refrigerated pasta, add it to a pot over the stove on low heat. Stir gently until warmed through, adding a little water if needed.
  • To reheat frozen romesco and rigatoni, let the pasta thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then add it to a pot over low to medium heat. Warm through, adding a small amount of water if the sauce and pasta seem dry.
Romesco sauce pasta close up in a skillet.

Variations

We love this recipe as is, but here are some easy ways you can change up the dish to make it your own!

  • Make it vegan. The romesco sauce and rigatoni are already naturally vegan, so just use dairy-free butter for the breadcrumbs, and the entire dish will be vegan and dairy-free!
  • Add protein. To make this dish a little more filling and balanced, add diced chicken or steak, ground turkey or burger, or shrimp.
  • Add veggies. Steam, roast, or saute broccoli, peppers, zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, or cauliflower (or any combination of veggies) and serve them mixed into the pasta or on the side.
  • Make it extra creamy. This sauce already has a rich texture, but you can make it even more decadent and creamy by adding a splash of half and half or a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt.
  • Make it spicy. Add a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes or minced jalapeno peppers to the sauce for a spicy kick.
  • Swap the nuts. Instead of slivered almonds, use crushed walnuts or pine nuts in the romesco sauce.
A plate of romesco sauce pasta.

What to Serve with Romesco Sauce with Rigatoni

To make this into a complete meal, serve your rigatoni with romesco sauce alongside:

Romesco sauce pasta speared on a fork.

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Romesco sauce pasta in a skillet ready to be served.
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Romesco Sauce with Rigatoni

Our bright and robust Romesco Sauce Rigatoni is topped with buttered parmesan and herb breadcrumbs for the perfect pasta dish!
Course dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine spanish
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 3
Calories 642kcal
Author Teri & Jenny

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound rigatoni

buttered parmesan-herb breadcrumbs

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2/3 cup Italian Style breadcrumbs
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan

romesco sauce

  • 1 (16 ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained
  • 1/3 cup slivered almonds
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 3 tablespoons minced parsley
  • 2 tablespoons minced basil leaves
  • salt and pepper to taste
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

pasta

  • Fill a pot with water, place over high heat and bring to a boil. Add a small handful of salt and rigatoni and boil, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 6 to 7 minutes.
  • Drain pasta into a colander, reserving 2/3 cup pasta water. Set aside.

breadcrumbs

  • Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and add breadcrumbs. Stir and toast breadcrumbs for 3 to 4 minute, and remove from heat. Once mixture has cooled, stir in Parmesan. Set aside.

romesco sauce

  • Place all ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth. Pour mixture into skillet and place over medium-low heat. Stir in reserved pasta water and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

assembly

  • Add pasta into sauce and toss together until pasta is fully coated. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Pour coated pasta onto a serving platter, top with buttered, Parmesan-herb breadcrumbs and serve.

Notes

Make Ahead
  • To make this meal even easier, you can make the romesco sauce ahead of time, so all you have to do the night of is boil your pasta and quickly make your breadcrumbs.
  • In our opinion, romesco sauce that’s sat in the refrigerator for a day or two is even better than fresh sauce, as the flavors become richer and they have time to meld together. Just make the recipe for the sauce as directed, let it cool, and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  • To make the pasta ahead, boil it until slightly al dente, drain, toss with a little olive oil, then let it cool completely. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
Freezing
  • Romesco sauce is perfect for freezing as the texture and flavor stay the same. This makes it a great sauce to prepare in double or triple batches, freezing the rest for later! Portion the sauce into freezer bags, lay them flat, and freeze for up to 3 months.
  • You can also freeze the entire pasta dish (minus the breadcrumb mixture) to reheat and enjoy at a later date. Make the sauce and the pasta and combine as directed. Once cooled, store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months. Do not freeze with the breadcrumb topping, as this will become soggy as they thaw.
Reheating
  • To reheat refrigerated romesco sauce, add it to a pot over the stove on low heat. Stir gently until warmed through.
  • To reheat refrigerated pasta, add it to a pot over the stove on low heat. Stir gently until warmed through, adding a little water if needed.
  • To reheat frozen romesco and rigatoni, let the pasta thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then add it to a pot over low to medium heat. Warm through, adding a small amount of water if the sauce and pasta seem dry.

Nutrition

Calories: 642kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 1955mg | Potassium: 500mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1037IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 223mg | Iron: 4mg

The post Romesco Sauce with Rigatoni appeared first on Spoon Fork Bacon.

Baked Ziti

This Baked Ziti recipe is so classic and delicious and the perfect make ahead weeknight meal. You can totally make your own sauce but you can also buy a great quality jar from the store to keep things simple. We love this jarred marinara sauce. This recipe also makes really great leftovers for the next day. It reheats really well and you don’t have to worry about this dish drying out since we’ve made ours…

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The post Baked Ziti appeared first on Spoon Fork Bacon.

Baked ziti in a baking dish with some scooped out next to it.

This Baked Ziti recipe is so classic and delicious and the perfect make ahead weeknight meal. You can totally make your own sauce but you can also buy a great quality jar from the store to keep things simple. We love this jarred marinara sauce.

This recipe also makes really great leftovers for the next day. It reheats really well and you don’t have to worry about this dish drying out since we’ve made ours pretty saucy. Our baked ziti so comforting, delicious and makes enough to feed a small crowd.

What is Baked Ziti?

Baked Ziti is a classic American Italian dish. It is made in a casserole dish, and typically uses a tomato sauce, and cheese, as well as other ingredients to suit your taste. It is prepared with cooked ziti pasta, and then baked in the oven.

How to Make Baked Ziti

Ingredients

Ingredients to make baked ziti.

Process

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add a small handful of salt and pasta to water and stir. Boil pasta for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until pasta is al dente. Drain, toss with a teaspoon of oil, pour into a large mixing bowl.
  2. Pour olive oil into a large sauté pan and place over medium- high heat. Add sausage and break apart with a wooden spoon. Cook sausage for about 5 minutes or until evenly browned. Drain and add to pasta.
Pasta in a colander draining for baked ziti.
Meat mixed with pasta in a bowl for baked ziti.
  1. Add marinara and stir together.
  2. Add 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan.
Marinara sauce mixed with pasta and meat.
Cheese being mixed with pasta and meat for baked ziti.
  1. Fold together until fully incorporated. Adjust seasonings as needed.
  2. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 8”x 8” baking dish.
Baked ziti mixed in a bowl.
Ziti mixture loaded in a baking dish.
  1. Top ziti with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
  2. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to broiler for 1 or 2 minutes until top has browned and is bubbling. Allow ziti to cool for 5 to 7 minutes, top with fresh basil leaves and serve.
Baked ziti in a baking dish topped with some cheese.
Baked ziti baked in a baking dish.

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions

Make Ahead

Prepare the recipe as directed, until it’s time to place it in the oven. Tightly wrap the ziti in foil and place it in the refrigerator for up to three days.

When ready to serve bake the ziti, with the foil, for 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until completely heated through.

Freezing

Prepare the recipe as directed, until it’s time to place it in the oven. Tightly wrap the ziti in foil and place it in the freezer for up to three months.

When ready to serve place frozen ziti directly into a hot oven, with foil, for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until completely heated through.

Baked ziti in a baking dish.

What to Serve with Baked Ziti

Baked Ziti is a great stand alone dish, but if you want something to sop up any extra sauce or you’re looking to add some vegetables/greens to the meal, our favorite options are below!

Variations

  • The Italian pork sausage can be swapped out for turkey sausage or a plant-based alternative.
  • Sautéed mushrooms can also be swapped into for the sausage for the vegetarian friendly option.
  • Sautéed spinach, kale and blanched broccoli florets can be added to the mixture to get more vegetables into the dish (just add a little more sauce to the mixture to ensure the dish doesn’t end up dry out of the oven.
  • Try stirring a small amount of cream into the sauce before combining with the other ingredients for a richer sauce.
Close up on a baking dish full of baked ziti.

More Delicious Baked Pasta Recipes You Will Love

Baked ziti on a plate with a fork on it.
Close up on baked ziti with a spoon in it.
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Baked Ziti

Baked Ziti – our delicious baked pasta casserole that is so cozy and comforting and incredibly easy to make! You can prep and freeze it ahead of time for worry free weeknight dinners!
Course dinner
Cuisine American, Italian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 389kcal
Author Teri & Jenny

Equipment

  • casserole dish

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces ziti pasta
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 sweet or spicy Italian sausages casings removed
  • 2 cups marinara sauce homemade or store bought
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
  • 1/2 cup parmesan grated
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • basil leaves garnish
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add a small handful of salt and pasta to water and stir. Boil pasta for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until pasta is al dente. Drain, toss with a teaspoon of oil, pour into a large mixing bowl.
  • Pour remaining olive oil into a large sauté pan and place over medium- high heat. Add sausage and break apart with a wooden spoon. Cook sausage for about 5 minutes or until evenly browned. Drain and add to pasta.
  • Add marinara, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and 1/4 cup parmesan and gently fold together until fully incorporated. Adjust seasonings.
  • Pour mixture into a lightly greased 8”x 8” baking dish and top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a broiler and broil for 1 to 2 minutes until browned and bubbling.
  • Allow ziti to cool for 5 to 7 minutes before topping with basil leaves and serving.

Video

Notes

Make Ahead: Prepare the recipe as directed, until it’s time to place it in the oven. Tightly wrap the ziti in foil and place it in the refrigerator for up to three days. When ready to serve bake the ziti, with the foil, for 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until completely heated through.
Freeze Ahead: Make recipe through step #6. Place baking dish in freezer until completely frozen. Tightly cover with foil or plastic wrap and store in freezer until ready to use. When ready to use, preheat oven to 350˚F. Place covered, frozen ziti directly into oven and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes or until completely heated through and cheese on top has melted and browned. Serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 389kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 1311mg | Potassium: 379mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 503IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 238mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Baked Ziti appeared first on Spoon Fork Bacon.