Inspired by a classic Caprese salad, this pasta recipe brings together the timeless trio of tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil in a light and fresh vegetarian 'bake' that’s gratifyingly simple.
It’s a fuss-free way to enjoy classic Italian flavours without spending hours in the kitchen. Perfect for busy evenings when you want something warm, cheesy, and crowd-pleasing, it's sure to become a family favourite.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Yields:
4 serving(s)
Prep Time:
10 mins
Cook Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
30 mins
Cal/Serv:
632
Ingredients
3Tbsp.
olive oil
2
garlic cloves, crushed
2
x 400 g tins plum tomatoes
15g
butter
300g
fusilli pasta
150g
cherry tomatoes
2
x 125 g mozzarella balls, sliced
3Tbsp.
fresh basil pesto
Small handful fresh basil leaves
Directions
Step 1Add 2tbsp of the oil to a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add the garlic and tinned tomatoes. Using a potato masher, carefully crush the tomatoes, mashing gently so they don’t splatter. Bring to the boil and cook for about 15min until thickened, stirring frequently. Season to taste with salt, pepper and pinch of sugar. Take off the heat and stir in the butter.
Step 2Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water according to the instructions on the packet. Once cooked, drain well and reserve a mug of the pasta water.
Step 3Preheat grill to medium. Add drained pasta to the tomato sauce pan and stir together, adding a bit of pasta water to loosen if it seems dry. Tip into a large ovenproof serving dish and drizzle over the remaining olive oil.
Step 4Scatter over the cherry tomatoes and mozzarella slices and grill for 5min, or until the mozzarella has melted. Drizzle over the pesto and scatter over basil leaves. Serve.
Can I use another pasta other than fusilli?
Any short pasta shape will work well in this pasta bake.
Could I make my own pesto for this?
Now that's a great way to really add some wow-flavour! Follow our recipe for classic basil pesto.
Is this totally vegetarian?
You'll need to check the mozzarella and pesto are both suitable for vegetarians - most are but there may be one or two made with non-vegetarian rennet, so check if necessary!
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
