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    Home » Pasta » Baked Mediterranean Pasta

    Baked Mediterranean Pasta

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    Baked Mediterranean pasta is simple, flavorful, and vibrant. Tender pasta is tossed in an olive oil based pasta sauce with fresh tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and olives, then topped with mozzarella cheese and baked to crispy, melty perfection. The best part? This pasta bake is incredibly easy to make and ready in less than 45 minutes. It’s a perfect recipe for busy weeknights, but fancy enough for a dinner party. It’s a dish that everyone will be reaching over for seconds.

    Baked Mediterranean pasta is simple, flavorful, and vibrant, loaded with fresh tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and olives, and topped with mozzarella cheese. | aheadofthyme.com

    Why You’ll Love Baked Mediterranean Pasta

    • Mediterranean flavors abound. I love anything with artichokes and olives—and this baked pasta is no different. Add in some tomatoes, garlic, mozzarella, lemon, and high-quality olive oil, and you have the best Mediterranean pasta bake ever. It’s a pasta casserole loaded with flavor.
    • Plenty of nutrients. This pasta is also loaded with nutrients. Olives boast nutrients and antioxidants, including vitamin E, and they’re proven to support bone health, skin health, and your immune system! Similarly, artichokes are loaded with nutrients like potassium, fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, and folate. And don’t get me started on the fresh tomatoes and garlic.
    • Can be Mediterranean diet approved. Although, regular pasta isn’t on the Mediterranean diet, the good veggies we include are. And, if you substitute with whole grain pasta, then this recipe is completely Mediterranean diet approved.
    Baked Mediterranean pasta is simple, flavorful, and vibrant, loaded with fresh tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and olives, and topped with mozzarella cheese. | aheadofthyme.com

    Ingredients and Substitutions

    To make this delicious baked Mediterranean pasta, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in the recipe card below):

    • pasta - I used rotini pasta, but feel free to use any shape that you have on hand. A longer pasta such as linguine or spaghetti also work well.
    • olive oil
    • onion
    • garlic
    • cherry tomatoes - feel free to use grape tomatoes as a substitute.
    • seasoning - Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
    • artichoke hearts
    • kalamata olives
    • bocconcini - also known as mozzarella balls. You can also substitute this with 1 cup of grated mozzarella.
    • fresh parsley - optional, to garnish on top.

    This Mediterranean pasta bake is totally customizable. Feel free to add other ingredients that will complement the Mediterranean flavors here such as spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and feta.

    Baked Mediterranean pasta is simple, flavorful, and vibrant, loaded with fresh tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and olives, and topped with mozzarella cheese. | aheadofthyme.com

    How to Make the Best Baked Mediterranean Pasta

    1. Cook pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium high heat. Add pasta and cook until al dente (fully cooked but still firm) according to package directions, about 6-8 minutes. Drain well and set aside in the pot.
    2. Sauté aromatics. While the pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet oven over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles, about 2 minutes. Then, add onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes
    3. Add tomatoes. Add tomatoes and season with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir well and cook for 1-2 minutes until the tomatoes have slightly softened.
    4. Add remaining ingredients. Add cooked pasta, artichoke, and olives and toss well to coat. Transfer the pasta into a 9x13-inch casserole pan and top with mozzarella balls.
    Baked Mediterranean pasta is simple, flavorful, and vibrant, loaded with fresh tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and olives, and topped with mozzarella cheese. | aheadofthyme.com
    1. Bake. Bake in a 375F preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the melted cheese is golden brown. Let cool for 15 minutes, then garnish with fresh parsley and serve with fresh Parmesan if desired.
    Baked Mediterranean pasta is simple, flavorful, and vibrant, loaded with fresh tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and olives, and topped with mozzarella cheese. | aheadofthyme.com

    Recipe Tips and Tricks

    • How to store: Keep leftover Mediterranean baked pasta in the fridge for up to four days. Store it in an airtight container or wrap the casserole pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
    • How to freeze: Pasta casseroles are incredibly freezer-friendly! So, pre-portion your pasta bake. Then wrap each piece in aluminum foil or plastic wrap (or place each one in an airtight container). It will last in the freezer for up to three months.
    • How to reheat: If frozen, that the pasta overnight in the refrigerator. Then, bake it in a 375F preheated for 20 minutes until warmed through.
    Baked Mediterranean pasta is simple, flavorful, and vibrant, loaded with fresh tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and olives, and topped with mozzarella cheese. | aheadofthyme.com

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    • Cacio e Pepe

    Did you make this recipe? I would greatly appreciate a comment and rating below, letting me know what you thought of the recipe. You can also snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.

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    Baked Mediterranean pasta is simple, flavorful, and vibrant, loaded with fresh tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and olives, and topped with mozzarella cheese. | aheadofthyme.com

    Baked Mediterranean Pasta


    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 reviews

    • Author: Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme
    • Total Time: 40 minutes
    • Yield: 8 servings
    • Diet: Vegetarian
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    Baked Mediterranean pasta is simple, flavorful, and vibrant, loaded with fresh tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and olives, and topped with mozzarella cheese.


    Ingredients

    • 1 lb. rotini pasta
    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • 1 medium onion, diced
    • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
    • 3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
    • ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
    • ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
    • 1 (12 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and cut into bite-sized pieces
    • 1 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
    • 200 grams bocconcini (mozzarella balls), halved (or more for extra cheesy topping)
    • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional, for serving)
    • Parmesan cheese, grated (optional, for serving)

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 375F.
    2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium high heat. Add pasta and cook until al dente (fully cooked but still firm) according to package directions, about 6-8 minutes. Drain well and set aside in the pot.
    3. While the pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet oven over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles, about 2 minutes. Add onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes
    4. Add tomatoes and season with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir well and cook for 1-2 minutes until the tomatoes have slightly softened.
    5. Add cooked pasta, artichoke, and olives and toss well to coat. Transfer the pasta into a 9x13-inch casserole pan and top with mozzarella balls.
    6. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the melted cheese is golden brown. Let cool for 15 minutes, then garnish with fresh parsley and serve with fresh Parmesan if desired.

    Notes

    How to store: Keep leftover Mediterranean baked pasta in the fridge for up to four days. Store it in an airtight container or wrap the casserole pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

    How to freeze: Pasta casseroles are incredibly freezer-friendly! So, pre-portion your pasta bake. Then wrap each piece in aluminum foil or plastic wrap (or place each one in an airtight container). It will last in the freezer for up to three months.

    How to reheat: If frozen, that the pasta overnight in the refrigerator. Then, bake it in a 375F preheated for 20 minutes until warmed through.

    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 25 minutes
    • Category: Pasta
    • Method: Oven
    • Cuisine: Italian

    Keywords: baked mediterranean pasta, mediterranean pasta bake, mediterranean pasta, mediterranean baked pasta,

    Did you make this recipe?

    I'd love to see! Tag me @aheadofthyme on Instagram.

    Baked Mediterranean pasta is simple, flavorful, and vibrant, loaded with fresh tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and olives, and topped with mozzarella cheese. | aheadofthyme.com
    Baked Mediterranean Pasta
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Hassimir Fenring says

      February 27, 2022 at 8:17 pm

      I made this for the family tonight.
      The kids opinions are mixed as usual, but this was super delicious. I loved it.

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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