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One Pan 4 Cheese Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Pasta Bake…for nights when you’re craving Italian, but also need something simple and easy to prepare. Rigatoni pasta baked in a sun-dried tomato sauce that’s cheesy and so delicious! The secret to this one-pan pasta? Cooking the pasta in red wine. No boiling water, no extra pans! This is the perfect fall and winter dish to serve any night of the week. But is equally awesome for your next Saturday night dinner. It’s delicious and looks pretty on any table…not to mention that everyone LOVES a GOOD baked pasta. This pasta dish will be your new go-to!

overhead photo of One Pan 4 Cheese Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Pasta Bake

It’s about this time every year, that I really lean into those recipes that I know my family will love most. The week before Thanksgiving is usually when family members begin to slowly arrive…my brothers, cousins, all the girlfriends, and a few other strays that always seem to trickle in.

This year, things are looking pretty different, just my siblings and cousins (who kind of became siblings when my aunt passed). Even though our gathering will be smaller, I still wanted to keep some of my same traditions alive. Enter this pasta. It’s one of those recipes that feeds a crowd, and definitely one of those dinners that makes everyone happy.

I love serving a simple baked pasta on everyone’s first night back home for Thanksgiving and or Christmas. I usually add a side salad and some beer bread. It’s always the perfect dinner to welcome everyone back home during the days leading up to Thanksgiving. It’s easy for me to prepare, and the perfect simple but delicious dinner. It pretty much says, “welcome home for the holidays, cozy up, and stay awhile”.

Such a cheesy line, but I’m all about cheesy these days.

overhead prep photo of One Pan 4 Cheese Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Pasta Bake before baking

Since so many of our holiday plans are different, I wanted to share a recipe that would give everyone that same feeling of comfort. Nothing really beats a home-cooked meal, but I figure if you can’t go home, why not bring a little of “home” to your kitchen.

I mean, right? Yes, yes. Of course. Thankfully this is easy to prepare, so whether you love cooking or are just a beginner in the kitchen, this is easy enough that we can all recreate it…

Hello to one pan and done.

side angled photo of One Pan 4 Cheese Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Pasta Bake before baking

Here are the details.

This is a pasta I’ve been making for a while now. It’s the recipe I fall back on when I’m busy and have zero time to put in any effort for dinner. Kind of what I call the effortless dinner.

You ready for this? Add every single ingredient to a large baking dish. Add water, then cover the dish and bake. No boiling water, no pots, nothing fancy at all.

Once everything is mixed up in the baking dish, simply add the water right into the dish. I know it may seem odd, but trust me, it works. Just cover with foil and bake until that cheese is bubbly. Cooking the pasta together with the sauce saves you from additional prep work and having to break out another pot. Not sure about you guys, but I am all about fewer dishes.

Easy, right? YES. But yet the outcome is DELICIOUS.

side angled photo of One Pan 4 Cheese Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Pasta Bake being pulled up out of the baking dish

Here are some keys for success.

First, you want to use a short cut pasta for this. Since we’re cooking the pasta all together in the baking dish, the short cut is able to more evenly cook. I love using rigatoni, but you can use any short cut pasta you love!

Second, the red wine. Of course, if you don’t drink wine you can omit this and swap for chicken or vegetable broth. Make this work for you. But if you do enjoy wine, use the wine. It adds a richness that really compliments the sun-dried tomatoes within the sauce.

overhead close up photo of One Pan 4 Cheese Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Pasta Bake

And that brings me to the tomatoes. I like to use a mix of crushed tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes. The sun-dried tomatoes are KEY for adding flavor to this. You’re going to use both the tomatoes and that oil left behind in the jar. Between the herbed oil and the sweet tomatoes, you’ll get so much flavor from just one ingredient.

And lastly, the cheeses! Four types of cheese are better than one…right? Of course. I used a combination of melty fontina cheese, asiago, parmesan, and sharp provolone. ‘Tis a delicious combination, but feel free to use whatever cheese you have on hand. All cheese is good cheese.

overhead photo of One Pan 4 Cheese Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Pasta Bake

And that is it. This takes only about an hour to prepare. Then you’ll have cheesy baked pasta ready for eating….and your kitchen will still be semi-clean! But even more importantly, it’s going to smell like an Italian grandma’s kitchen. It’s an amazing aroma, and trust me, this rigatoni tastes even better. Think saucy, but still heavy on the pasta, with a good amount of seasonings and herbs. The wine and tomatoes add a hearty richness, and all that cheese on top…well that’s the best part!

You see, you can’t go wrong with a baked pasta like this. My one tip? To make this dish fancy…ish, serve it topped with fried oregano and a bottle of red wine. Perfect for these long November and December nights.

photo of One Pan 4 Cheese Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Pasta Bake in serving bowl with fork

Looking for other easy pasta bakes? Here are my favorites: 

One Pot 30 Minute Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta Bake

Slow Roasted Mushroom Pasta with Crisp Rosemary Chickpeas

Roasted Red Pepper Alla Vodka Pasta with Cheesy Oregano Breadcrumbs

Lastly, if you make this One Pan 4 Cheese Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Pasta Bake, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

One Pan 4 Cheese Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Pasta Bake

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 473 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Ingredients

Instructions

  • 1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Oil a 9x13 inch baking dish.
    2. To the baking dish, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes...plus 3 tablespoons of the oil left in the jar, the spinach, garlic, basil, oregano, red wine, and 1 1/2 cups water. Season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Add the dry pasta, fontina cheese, asiago, and parmesan, tossing to coat. Push down gently on the pasta to submerge it. Sprinkle the provolone evenly over top.
    3. Rub the underside of a piece of foil with oil. Tightly cover the baking dish with the foil, oiled side facing down. Bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake another 15- 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from the oven and top with fresh herbs.
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overhead horizontal photo of One Pan 4 Cheese Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Pasta Bake

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This was absolutely delicious! I am so glad I found your website! My rigatoni was very thick so a few of the pieces were a little too al dente, but most of it was perfect. The only thing I will change next time is mix everything in a bowl and pour over the pasta. I found it a little frustrating trying to submerge the pasta. Flavors were fabulous for such a simple recipe. Thank you!

  2. 5 stars
    Excellent recipe! Love that you throw everything together without cooking the pasta, but would rather use fresh chopped spinach instead of frozen. How much liquid would I need to add? I also mixed everything in a large bowl in the order directed and then tossed in the pan. Great for giving to someone for dinner. They would just need to bake. Thank you!

    1. Hi Ronnie,
      You would just want to cook the spinach down and then add to the recipe as is, no need to add extra liquid. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan

    1. Hey Suzanne,
      You can just make up until the point of baking and then bake when you are ready to serve. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan

    1. Hey Kathleen,
      GF pasta should work well for you here. Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan

    1. Hey Debbie,
      You totally could! Cooked chicken or sausage would be great to add. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try! xTieghan

  3. I’ve tried a couple of your one pot pasta recipes and they’ve always been a hit! Can I omit the spinach or replace it with kale? My husband cannot digest spinach very well. Thanks!

    1. Hey Maria,
      Totally! You can omit or use kale, either will work. I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan

  4. Hi Tieghan! Would it be ok to use fresh spinach? What is the benefit to frozen? Gonna make this for my sister and family who have Covid. ?
    Thanks!

    1. Hi there,
      Yes, you can use fresh spinach I would just cook it down first, which is why I suggest frozen:) Please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan

  5. 5 stars
    Amazing recipe! I’ve cooked quite a few pasta bakes, but this recipe definitely has an intense flavour (I think from the sun dried tomatoes?). I will definitely be cooking this on a regular basis, as it was absolutely delicious. Served with baby salad leaves and cherry tomatoes.

    1. Hey Ruth,
      Happy Friday! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan

    1. Hey there,
      I would add cooked meat to step 2. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan

  6. 5 stars
    This was so good. After reading the comments I bumped the heat to 390 & while I was making the sauce I boiled some water & used that. It was perfect.

    1. Hey Debbie,
      Awesome! Thanks a lot for making this recipe. I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Happy Thursday❄️ xxT

    1. Hey Mary,
      Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it. Have the best week! xTieghan