This Baked Tomato Ricotta Pasta is a creamy, comforting, and family-friendly vegetarian dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights. Tender penne pasta is baked in a rich roasted tomato and ricotta sauce, then topped with fresh herbs and parmesan for the ultimate meatless meal. It’s an easy baked pasta recipe that delivers big flavor with minimal effort – wholesome, satisfying, and sure to become a weeknight favorite.
I love an easy pasta dinner, especially on those busy weeknights when I’m not working with a lot of time.
This Baked Tomato Ricotta Pasta is a go-to in my household. It’s a restaurant-quality, vegetarian meal that is SO incredibly easy to make. If you enjoy this recipe, you should also try my boursin baked orzo – it’s also a meatless dish, but you can easily add some protein.
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- One-dish sauce – Okay, it’s not totally a one-pan meal since you need to boil the pasta, but the sauce comes together in one baking dish!
- 5 Minutes of Prep – While you need a little bit of time for the garlic and tomatoes to roast in the oven, the actual hands-on time you need to make this recipe is no more than 5 minutes.
- AMAZING flavor – Creamy ricotta cheese paired with the sweetness of tomato, fresh herbs, and salty parmesan? What’s not to love.
Recipe Notes
This Tomato Ricotta Pasta recipe is as simple as promised! Just a quick 5 minutes of prep for a family friendly dinner.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make Ricotta Tomato Pasta to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Olive Oil – Use a good quality olive oil to give the tomatoes that perfect roasted flavor and texture.
- Grape Tomatoes
- Ricotta Cheese
- Garlic – You’ll need one whole head of garlic for this recipe. No need to separate it. You’ll roast it whole!
- Salt
- Italian Seasoning – You can use store-bought Italian seasoning OR make your own using my Homemade Italian Seasoning recipe.
- Dried Pasta – I use penne for this recipe, but you can use any small pasta shape you like.
- Optional Garnishes – chopped fresh herbs such as basil or parsley and freshly grated parmesan
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Add veggies – Bulk your meal up by tossing in some veggies to roast alongside the tomato. Try broccoli, mushroom, onion, carrot, you name it.
- Swap the cheese – Not a fan of ricotta? Try making this recipe using feta cheese instead.
- Add Protein – You can prep my baked chicken breast ahead of time and just mix into the warm pasta for some extra protein. Already prepared rotisserie chicken would also work!
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make One Pan Ricotta Pasta.
Spread olive oil into the bottom of a baking dish, then pour in the tomatoes. Dollop the ricotta into the dish, then cut the bottom off of the garlic and place that cut-side down into the baking dish.
Bake at 375ºF until the garlic is soft. While that is baking, boil the pasta according to package instructions, then drain the water.
Remove the baking dish from the oven, then carefully remove the garlic. Stir the sauce together, using the back of the spoon to smash the tomatoes as you stir. Squeeze the roasted garlic into the mix and use a fork to smash it. Stir that into the sauce.
Pour the cooked pasta into the baking dish, then toss together until evenly coated. Finish with chopped herbs and grated parmesan, then serve and enjoy.
Recipe Tips
- Play with texture – You can make the sauce as smooth or as chunky as you like! Leave larger chunks of tomato, smash them all up, or use an immersion blender to make the sauce extra creamy. You can also thin it out using some of the pasta water.
- Use any small pasta shape – I love penne in this recipe, but you can use any small pasta shape you prefer. Try rotini, fusilli, rigatoni, ziti, you name it.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Cook the pasta in advance – To get a little bit ahead, you can pre-cook the pasta and store it in the fridge for a couple of days before you make your pasta bake. Keep in mind, though, that if you do this you will want to reheat it before you add it to your sauce.
- Make the sauce ahead of time – You can prep the ricotta tomato sauce in advance, then cool it and store it in the fridge for a couple of days. When you’re ready to serve, simply cook the pasta, add it to the sauce, and enjoy.
- Assemble and store – You can assemble this pasta bake completely, then let it cool and store it in the refrigerator before serving. When you’re ready to enjoy, simply pop it in the oven to reheat, then dig in!
Freezer Meal Instructions
How to Freeze Tomato Ricotta Pasta After Cooking
- To freeze leftovers, let the pasta cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container.
- Store for up to 2 months in the freezer.
- When you’re ready to serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake to reheat.
What to Serve with Tomato and Ricotta Pasta
Since this protein based dinner has the delicious flavors of Italian seasoning, it will pair well with many of your favorite Italian side dishes.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
- Garlic Bread – There’s nothing more satisfying than a healthy helping of pasta with a side of the softest garlic bread you can get. This Garlic Bread Recipe is perfectly flavored with garlic, herbs, and butter, then baked until deliciously crispy on the edges.
- One Pan Italian Chicken and Veggie Skillet – Round your meal out with protein and veggies with this One Pan Italian Chicken and Veggie Skillet. This mouthwatering meal features tender chicken breast, zucchini, bell pepper, broccoli, and red onion coated in Italian dressing and parmesan.
- Italian House Salad – This Italian House Salad is a restaurant classic made right at home. It’s made with a fresh spring mix topped with grape tomatoes, pepperoncini peppers, red onion, parmesan, and a tangy Italian dressing.
Baked Tomato Ricotta Pasta Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-5 days
- in the freezer up to 2 months
Recipe FAQ’s
Can you melt ricotta into a sauce?
Yes! The ricotta warms beautifully in the oven and melts into the roasted tomato to create the most luscious, creamy sauce.
Does ricotta go with tomatoes?
Absolutely. The mild nutty flavor of ricotta pairs beautifully with the sweet bite of tomato. Finish that off with garlic, herbs, and salty parmesan and you’ve got the most mouthwatering pasta sauce.
More EASY Pasta Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy pasta recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
- Spinach Ravioli Bake
- Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake
- Creamy Italian Chicken Pasta
- Brown Butter Spinach Tortellini
Baked Tomato Ricotta Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 16 ounces grape tomatoes
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 head garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 16 ounces dried pasta, I used penne
Garnish (optional)
- chopped fresh herbs, parsley or basil
- freshly grated parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375˚F.
- Spread olive oil in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Pour in the tomatoes, then season with salt and Italian seasoning. Dollop the ricotta in large mounds in the dish.Cut the bottom off of the garlic, then place cut side down in the baking dish.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the garlic is soft.While the tomato ricotta sauce is baking, cook the pasta per package directions.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven. Use tongs to remove the garlic. Then use a large wooden spoon to stir the sauce together, using the back of the spoon to smash the tomatoes as you stir.Squeeze the roasted garlic from the head, and use a fork to smash it. Then stir the garlic paste into the sauce.
- Pour the cooked and drained pasta into the sauce, and toss together to coat the pasta in the tomato ricotta sauce. Garnish with freshly chopped herbs and grated parmesan. Serve warm.
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