Spinach and Tomato Penne Bake

Name: Spinach and Tomato Penne Bake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 16 oz Penne pasta, dry (wheat); 3 cups Marinara sauce, jarred; 5 oz Baby spinach; 2 cups Cherry tomatoes, halved; 3 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced; 1 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tsp Dried oregano; ½ tsp Kosher salt; ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated, or a vegetarian hard cheese

A vegetarian baked pasta with marinara, wilted spinach, blistered cherry tomatoes and a Parmesan top. Makes six portions that reheat well.

Not yet kitchen-testedVegetarian

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 50 min
Makes: 6 servings

Illustrative AI-generated image; not a photo of this recipe as tested.

Ingredients

Servings

16 ozPenne pasta, dry (wheat)
3 cupsMarinara sauce, jarred
5 ozBaby spinach
2 cupsCherry tomatoes, halved
3 clovesGarlic, thinly sliced
1 tbspExtra-virgin olive oil
1 tspDried oregano
½ tspKosher salt
½ cupParmesan cheese, grated, or a vegetarian hard cheese

Equipment

Oven
Stovetop
Large pot
Skillet
Baking dish
Storage containers

Method

1
Heat the oven to 375 °F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2
Cook the penne for 2 minutes less than the package time so it finishes in the oven without going soft, then drain.
3
Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the garlic and tomatoes for 3–4 minutes until the tomatoes start to soften, then add the spinach and oregano and stir until just wilted.
4
Stir the marinara and salt into the skillet, then fold in the drained pasta. Transfer to a 9 × 13-inch baking dish and scatter the cheese on top.
5
Bake until bubbling at the edges and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Cool briefly, portion into containers and refrigerate within 2 hours.

Storage

Refrigerator

3–4 days

at 40 °F (4 °C) or below

Freezer

3–4 months

for best quality, at 0 °F (−18 °C)

Guidance for: Cooked leftovers (general). These times assume:

Food is refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking.
Refrigerator holds 40 °F (4 °C) or below; freezer holds 0 °F (−18 °C) or below.
Food is stored in shallow, covered containers.
Leftovers are reheated to 165 °F (74 °C), checked with a food thermometer.
Freezer times are for best quality. Food kept frozen continuously at 0 °F stays safe indefinitely.

Undercooking the pasta slightly keeps it from turning mushy after storage and reheating.

Sources: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, “Leftovers and Food Safety”.

Allergens

Contains: milk, wheat. Check the label on: Penne pasta, dry (wheat), Marinara sauce, jarred — ingredients vary by brand.

Derived automatically from our ingredient records and not yet verified by an editor. Always check product labels.

Nutrition

Not yet calculated. We publish nutrition only after every ingredient is matched to USDA FoodData Central data. Our methodology.

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