KITCHEN CORNER: One Pan Baked Cheesy Basil Pasta

Published 2:46 pm Tuesday, March 2, 2021

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By Ellen Cawood

So, if you haven’t seen the infamous TikTok feta and tomato pasta, where have you been? I have to say, my friends and I made it one night, and it might have been the best pasta I have ever eaten. I highly recommend.

Since I loved that pasta so much, I thought there has to be other recipes out there that are just as easy and just as good. In my hunt for something similar, I think I might have found one to top it. I got this recipe from Half Baked Harvest, and I highly recommend you follow her blog if you don’t already.

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This recipe has an extensive list of ingredients, but don’t be overwhelmed, it is very simple to put together, one pot and minimal time and mess. Everyone is sure to love it!

One Pan Baked Cheesy Basil Pasta

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (reserve their oil)
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp dried basil
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp parsley
  • 2 tbsp dried dill
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes
  • 1 pinch kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1/3 cup halved kalamata olives
  • 1 pound short cut pasta
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella
  • ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 red bell peppers very thinly sliced
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Fresh basil (optional)

Instructions

  1. Begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Drain the sun-dried tomato oil into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Add the olive oil and spices to the oil. Toss in the sun-dried tomatoes and olives in the oil and spices. Toss in the dry pasta making sure that every piece gets coated with the oil and spices. Pour the water over the pasta and press pasta down to submerge.
  3. Add the mozzarella and cheddar to the top, then add the thinly sliced bell peppers and Parmesan cheese.
  4. Spray a piece of foil with no stick cooking spray and place sprayed side down over the dish to prevent any cheese from sticking to the foil.
  5. Bake covered for 30 minutes and uncovered for 25 minutes.
  6. Remove from the oven, top with fresh basil and serve!