Garlic Butter Tomato and Pesto Baked Pasta
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 817kcal
That title is a mouthful and that's exactly what you will have once you prepare this Garlic Butter Tomato and Pesto Baked Pasta in your home! Perfectly cooked pasta is flavoured with both seasoned tomatoes and basil pesto and baked with garlic butter and bocconcini until melted and gooey. This just might be my new favourite way to make pasta!
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Ingredients
- 450 grams penne pasta, cooked, drained well, and cooled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups canned diced tomatoes with juice https://www.lordbyronskitchen.com/canned-diced-tomatoes/
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning https://www.lordbyronskitchen.com/italian-seasoning-blend/
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup basil pesto https://www.lordbyronskitchen.com/peppery-double-parmesan-basil-pesto/
- 1/2 cup garlic butter
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
- 200 grams mini bocconcini, drained
- chopped parsley for garnish, optional
- parmesan for garnish, optional
- dried red chili flakes, optional
Instructions
- Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Next, add the olive oil to a large casserole dish. Use a pastry brush to brush the bottom and sides of the dish with the olive oil. Set that aside.
- Next, add the cooked, drained, and cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add the canned diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and ground black pepper. Toss well to mix thoroughly and transfer to the prepared casserole dish.
- Bake in the preheated oven for fifteen minutes.
- Remove from the oven and use a teaspoon to make little dollops of basil pesto over the top of the pasta. Follow that by doing the same thing with the garlic butter – just place little portions of the butter randomly over the top. Finally, distribute the bocconcini balls over the pasta.
- Return the casserole dish to the oven and bake for another fifteen minutes or until the cheese is melted and gooey.
- If you want browned cheese, place the dish under the broiler for about two minutes, but watch very carefully so that it doesn’t burn!
- Finally, remove the pasta from the oven and plate. Garnish with fresh basil and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese and red chili flakes, if so desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 817kcal | Carbohydrates: 95g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 803mg | Potassium: 504mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 946IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 316mg | Iron: 3mg