Go Back
+ servings
Cheesy Penne with Roasted Vegetables
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Cheesy Penne with Roasted Vegetables

Cheesy Penne with Roasted Vegetables is an elegant dish that's both colorful and flavorful. This one-dish wonder contains garden fresh vegetables roasted to perfection and tossed with Penne in a dreamy creamy cheesy tomato sauce. One bite and you'll be hooked.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course, Vegetarian
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 327kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into ½-inch strips (See Tip 1)
  • 1 (7 to 8-ounces) zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 (7 to 8-ounces) yellow squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 4 cremini mushrooms (about 3 ounces) cut into thick slices (See Tip 2)
  • ½ Vidalia onion, peeled and thinly sliced (See Tip 3)
  • 2 Tablespoons (1-ounce) extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, divided
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 2 cups (8-ounces) dried penne pasta (see Tip 4)
  • 1 ¾ cups marinara sauce, store-bought or homemade (See Tip 5)
  • 1 cup (4-ounces) shredded fontina cheese, divided (See Tip 6)
  • ¼ cup (1-ounce) shredded smoked mozzarella cheese (See tip 7)
  • ½ cup (2-ounces) shredded parmesan cheese, divided
  • ¾ cup frozen green peas
  • 1 Tablespoon (0.5-ounce) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a large baking sheet with non-stick aluminum foil; set aside. Spray a 2 ½-quart or 9 x 13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray; set aside.
  • Add the bell pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms and onion to the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and Italian seasoning. Toss to thoroughly coat. Roast in preheated 450°F oven for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from oven; allow to cool slightly.
  • Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
  • While vegetables are roasting, cook penne in salted water for 6 minutes. Drain in colander. (See Tip 8)
  • In a large bowl, gently toss the drained pasta, roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, ½ cup of fontina cheese, smoked mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup of parmesan cheese, green peas, remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper until well coated.
  • Transfer pasta mixture to prepared casserole dish. Top with remaining ½ cup of fontina cheese and ¼ cup of parmesan cheese. Dot with butter. May be prepared in advance up to this point. (See Tip 9)
  • Bake in preheated 375°F oven for 30 minutes or until cheeses are melted and mixture is bubbly.
  • Yield: 6 servings. (See Tip 10)

Notes

  1. May use green, yellow or orange bell pepper in place of the red bell pepper.
  2. May use white mushrooms in place of the cremini mushrooms. 
  3. May use any yellow onion in place of the Vidalia onion.
  4. May use ziti or rotini pasta in place of the penne.
  5. I used Rao's store-bought marinara sauce.
  6. If you are unable to find fontina cheese, you can substitute mozzarella, Monterey Jack or gruyere cheese.
  7. You can either substitute smoked Gouda cheese for the smoked mozzarella cheese, or omit the smoked mozzarella and increase the quantity of fontina by ¼ cup or 1-ounce.
  8. You don't want to overcook the pasta at this point because it will continue cooking when the dish is baked.
  9. This dish can be easily prepared in advance, covered and refrigerated. If you do prepare it in advance, add about 5 minutes to the cooking time.
  10. Leftovers if any are just as good the next day. I like to reheat this in the microwave, but you could also reheat it in the oven at 350°F for about 15 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 327kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 917mg | Potassium: 665mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1565IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 290mg | Iron: 2mg