Cheesy Mushroom and Zucchini Pesto Pasta Bake

A vegetarian pasta bake full of veggies and cheesy goodness. This pasta bake with mushrooms, zucchini, basil pesto, and melted cheese will be your new favorite comfort food.

I always say that the best recipes come out when I don’t have any plans. When I don’t know what to cook, so I collect whatever I have available in the fridge and pantry and figure out a way to get a meal out of it.

This recipe is one of those cases. I found it in my old recipe book from when I was still living in Italy and when I read it again I immediately remembered it was not a planned recipe but an improvised meal which turned out so good I added it in my recipe book.

First of all, I love the mushroom and zucchini combo. It’s one I use very often in pasta sauces, quiches or lasagna, like my White Lasagna with Mushrooms and Zucchini.

The addition of basil pesto, either homemade or store-bought, helps to blend all the flavors together and give the pasta more flavor and saltiness. Two things that are always good in pasta (unless you exaggerate).

The final touch of grated cheese, which melts and gives to the pasta a heart of delicious cheesiness. While the freshly grated Parmigiano on top makes the crunchy nutty crust which is always my favorite part.

The steps to make a perfect pasta bake

Baked pasta or pasta bake is one of the Italian traditional staple food. A Sunday lunch meal that the whole family loves and enjoys. Traditionally served in the center of the table in its piping hot baking dish to share, or more unconventionally served in individual cocotte.

The classic version is with Tuscan Ragù sauce and Béchamel (white sauce) wh called “Pasta al Forno”, a quicker version of the traditional Lasagna, let’s say. But you can do baked pasta with almost any sauce. These are the basic guidelines:

• Don’t overcook the pasta. Cook the pasta 3-4 minutes less than usual. The pasta will continue cooking in the oven so it will come out perfectly al dente.
• The sauce should be as creamy as possible, to unify all the ingredients and flavors. You can use a cream-based or tomato-based sauce or use pesto or puréed veggies.
• You can add any vegetables, but you need to cook it first. Either roast it or sauté it, as long as it’s well cooked and seasoned.
• You can add meat like sausages, bacon, ham to give more flavor and saltiness. Cook if first, either together with the vegetables or by itself. Just be careful with the seasoning to avoid over-salting the dish.
• Add cheese. Any kind of cheese, as long as it melts and becomes creamy and delicious. But even crumbly cheeses like Feta could be a nice addition if paired with the right ingredients.
• Top the casserole with abundant freshly grated Parmigiano cheese to give it a nice crunchy and nutty crust.

The Recipe

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