Spicy Veggie Pasta Bake

Name: Spicy Veggie Pasta Bake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6 servings.
Ingredients: 3 cups uncooked spiral pasta; 1 medium yellow summer squash; 1 small zucchini; 1 medium sweet red pepper; 1 medium green pepper; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 small red onion, halved and sliced; 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 1 jar (24 ounces) spicy marinara sauce; 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese pearls; Grated Parmesan cheese and julienned fresh basil, optional

My dad cooked with cast-iron skillets, so when I do, I remember his amazing culinary skills. I keep the tradition going with my veggie pasta. —Sonya Goergen, Moorhead, Minnesota

Ingredients

3 cups uncooked spiral pasta
1 medium yellow summer squash
1 small zucchini
1 medium sweet red pepper
1 medium green pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion, halved and sliced
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 jar (24 ounces) spicy marinara sauce
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese pearls
Grated Parmesan cheese and julienned fresh basil, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente; drain.
Cut squashes and peppers into 1/4-in. julienne strips. In a 12-in. cast-iron skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, mushrooms and julienned vegetables; cook and stir 5-7 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir in seasonings. Add marinara sauce and pasta; toss to combine. Top with cheese pearls.
Transfer to oven; bake, uncovered, 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. If desired, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and basil before serving.

Nutrition Facts

1-1/3 cups (calculated without grated Parmesan cheese): 367 calories, 13g fat (6g saturated fat), 32mg cholesterol, 755mg sodium, 46g carbohydrate (11g sugars, 5g fiber), 15g protein.

Originally published as Spicy Fajita Veggie Pasta Skillet Bake in Simple & Delicious October/November 2015

Reviews

My Review

Click stars to rate

Average Rating:

mamamarie

Apr 23, 2017

We love recipes with veggies. This was good. However, I don't like "hot spicey food" so I left out the crushed red pepper and used my own sauce. Had it for more than one day. Tasted better the second day. Thanks.
rwippel

Mar 19, 2017

This was fanominal. I loved all the veggies and the melty cheese. It was even better the next day.
cast_iron_king

Sep 21, 2016

This is is an excellent and easy dish that comes together quickly and really satisfies the hungry eaters in my house (all 2 of us!).I don't care for marinara sauce from a jar, so I whipped up a batch of my own while the pasta was cooking and used that instead. I also added the mushrooms with the pasta and sauce just before baking, as I prefer a little firmer texture to them. Finally, I didn't have mozzarella pearls, so I used shredded instead. The result was a great dish. Of course, we had leftovers, and it was even better the second day! Simple, deliciuos, one of those recipes you'll return to time and again!