Description
Loaded Veggie Spaghetti Bake is a cozy, oven-baked pasta dish packed with colorful vegetables, rich tomato sauce, creamy ricotta, and melty cheese. Perfect for family dinners, meal prep, or sharing with a crowd
Ingredients
12 oz spaghetti, whole wheat or regular
2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for greasing
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 medium yellow squash, diced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 cups fresh spinach or kale, chopped
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
½ cup vegetable broth
1 tsp Italian seasoning
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 ½ cups part-skim ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
½ cup panko breadcrumbs (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Cook spaghetti in salted water until al dente. Drain and toss with olive oil.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté onion and garlic until fragrant.
Add bell peppers, zucchini, squash, and mushrooms. Cook until tender.
Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable broth, seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer 12–15 minutes.
Fold in spinach or kale until wilted. Remove from heat.
Combine spaghetti with vegetable sauce.
Mix ricotta with ¼ cup Parmesan and basil.
Layer pasta, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella in baking dish. Repeat layers.
Top with remaining mozzarella, Parmesan, and breadcrumbs if using.
Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 10–15 minutes until bubbly.
Rest 5–10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Cook pasta just until al dente to avoid a mushy bake
Let the casserole rest before slicing for clean portions
Easily customizable with extra veggies or added protein
Great make-ahead and freezer-friendly recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American / Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (1/8 of recipe)
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg