This easy one-pot Zucchini Pasta Bake is loaded with fresh zucchini and sweet corn making it the perfect cheesy, summer pasta dish! This baked pasta is simple enough for a weeknight dinner but impressive enough to serve company!
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Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pasta: I recommend using a short, dried pasta for this dish, such as penne, rigatoni, or fusilli. I used Trader Joe's Fusilli Corti Bucati Pasta. Note that the type of pasta you use can affect the cook time so be sure to keep an eye on the pasta and cook it until al dente.
- Zucchini: I use 1 pound fresh zucchini, which is about 2-3 medium zucchini.
- Corn: fresh yellow or white corn will both work!
- Vegetable stock: you can also use chicken stock if you prefer!
- Heavy cream: I love the richness of the heavy cream but you can substitute this for half and half, if you'd like.
- Mozzarella: This pasta gets baked with mozzarella on top. Opt for pre-shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese as freshly shredded mozzarella from a ball can throw too much moisture.
Step by step
1. Saute the garlic, shallots, and red pepper flakes in a Dutch oven or large pot.
2. Add in the sliced zucchini and fresh corn kernels and cook until just beginning to soften.
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3. Add in the stock, cream, pasta, and lemon zest. Stir occasionally and let the pasta simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the pasta is just al dente.
4. Top with mozzarella cheese and pop the pot uncovered into a 400-degree oven to finish cooking and to melt the cheese.
What to serve this baked pasta with
This pasta bake is hearty enough to be a full meal! If you'd like to add a protein, I recommend stirring in shredded chicken before the pasta gets popped in the oven.
If you'd like to serve it with a side dish, I recommend serving it with cheesy garlic bread and Caesar salad.
Prep ahead tips
I love making a baked pasta dish when serving company because it can be prepped in advance!
This Zucchini Pasta Bake can be made through step 3 up to 2-3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To resume cooking, heat the pasta back up on the stovetop and top with mozzarella before finishing cooking it in the oven.
Exert tips
- While the pasta is simmering on the stovetop, stir it occasionally to keep it from sticking together.
- If the pasta is drying out while simmering, turn the heat down slightly and add more stock (or even water if you run out of stock).
- Different dried pastas cook at different times. Keep an eye on your pasta and don't let it over cook.
- Season as you go! Taste and season throughout the cooking process.
📖 Recipe
Zucchini Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium shallot diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 ears corn kernals removed
- 1 lb zucchini sliced into ¼ inch thick pieces
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 lb short pasta such as penne, fusilli, or rigatoni
- 1 lemon zested
- 2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400.
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven on medium high heat. Add the olive oil, then the shallot, garlic, and red pepper flakes cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add in the corn, zucchini and a pinch of salt and cook until beginning to soften, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add in 2 cups of the broth, cream, pasta, lemon zest and another good pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Cook until the pasta is almost al dente, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the pasta from sticking together and adding in the other cup of broth as needed as the liquid evaporates.
- Top with mozzarella cheese and bake uncovered until the pasta is fully cooked and the cheese is melty, about 10 more minutes
- Serve immediately.
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