Baked Pasta & Spring Veggies

Our Baked Pasta & Spring Veggies is equal parts comforting and light, and perfect for whipping up any night of the week. Cook up the best of the spring bounty with tender asparagus, earthy zucchini and hearty peas—all nutrition powerhouses. The veggies are baked with fiber-rich whole-wheat pasta in a creamy sauce made with three types of cheese—soft ricotta, umami-packed Parmesan and melty mozzarella. We also threw in some onions, garlic and spinach to level up the flavor and antioxidant content. Keep reading for our expert tips on ingredient shortcuts, variations and more.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• To save time on preparation, you can use pre-shredded cheese; however, be aware that it often contains additives that may result in a thicker ricotta mixture.
• Adding an egg to the ricotta mixture helps prevent the cheese sauce from separating during baking.
• It’s important to cook the spinach just until it wilts to eliminate excess moisture in the pasta bake, which could cause the sauce to separate.
• Feel free to substitute or add your favorite vegetables—chopped artichoke hearts would be a delicious option. For a different flavor, consider adding pesto or chopped herbs to the ricotta mixture.

Nutrition Notes

• This recipe uses three types of cheese: ricotta, Parmesan and mozzarella. They offer unique flavors and textures but also share some common nutritional benefits. They all have protein, which is essential for muscle building, and calcium, which is essential for muscle contraction and bone health.
• Asparagus is a quintessential spring vegetable that is high in vitamin A, which is great for immune function, skin health and healthy eyesight. Asparagus is also high in an important antioxidant called glutathione, which helps to decrease inflammation from illness. 
• Baby spinach is an easy green that can be added to many dishes. Whether frozen or fresh, you get iron, folate and potassium—great for heart health. 
• Whole-wheat penne was chosen here over semolina or white pasta because it offers more protein and fiber, but you could always use another type of pasta. Whole-wheat pasta is an excellent source of healthy carbohydrates for energy to support your active lifestyle.