This vegetarian Baked Goat Cheese Pasta is super easy to make and is loaded with creamy goat cheese, Mezzetta’s Artisan Ingredients Whole Garlic & Sweet Basil Marinara, and curly kale. Finished with rainbow cherry tomatoes and a pesto panko topping, it is full of texture and flavor. No one would ever guess it only takes about 30 minutes to come together!
If you love tomato pasta dishes, try my Basil Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes or learn how to make sauce for lobster ravioli.
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Highlights
- Easy to make in only about 30 minutes
- Simple & minimal ingredients
- Mezzetta’s Artisan Ingredients Whole Garlic & Sweet Basil Marinara
- Pesto panko topping
- Fresh cherry tomatoes
- Creamy goat cheese sauce
- Loaded with kale
Ingredients
- Kale: You can use curly kale or dino kale.
- Pasta: You can use any short cut pasta. Boil the pasta for about 1-2 minutes less than the shortest cooking time recommended on the package. The pasta will continue to cook in the oven.
- Mozzarella: You can use fresh mozzarella (that is sold in a brine) or a block.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
Instructions
before you start . . .
- Cook the pasta. Boil the pasta for about 1-2 minutes less than the shortest cooking time recommended on the package.
- Prep the kale. Be sure to wash and pat dry the kale to avoid adding excess water into the dish, which can dilute the flavor of the sauce. I tear the kale into bite size pieces. You can also chop it.
Step 1: In a large pot, heat the sauce and kale over medium heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the kale begins to soften.
Step 2: Turn the heat to low. Add in the half and half and the goat cheese. Stir continuously until the cheese is melted. Remove from the heat and fold in the cooked pasta.
Step 3: In a small bowl mix together the pesto and olive oil. Fold in the panko. Set aside.
Step 4: Grease a 2.5 quart baking dish. Pour the pasta into it. Top with tomatoes and cheese.
TIP - Be sure to grease the pan with nonstick spray or olive oil so the pasta does not stick.
Step 5: Sprinkle the panko topping over the cheese.
Step 6: Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are bubbling. Broil for 1-2 minutes if desired.
TIP - Broiling the pasta will give the topping more color and make the panko crispier.
Expert Tips & Recipe Notes
- Salt the pasta water. Salting the pasta water will bring out all of the other flavors in this dish.
- Do not overcook the pasta. I recommend slightly undercooking the pasta because it will continue to cook in the oven. This prevents the pasta from becoming mushy.
- Use Mezzetta's Artisan Ingredients Whole Garlic & Sweet Basil Marinara. This pasta sauce is loaded with fresh garlic and basil which give the dish tons of flavor and make the ingredients list and prep work super minimal.
- Heat the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer so that the goat cheese can melt into it before baking.
- Use cubed mozzarella. Cubed mozzarella or mozzarella balls are how you achieve those wonderful cheese pools on top of a dish. While shredded cheese gives the same flavor, it does not have the same effect.
- Broil the pasta. If you want the topping to be a little cripier I recommend broiling the dish for a couple of minutes at the end. Keep a close eye on it so it does not burn. It will brown very quickly.
FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Note that when the pasta is reheated, it is very soft. This dish is best served right out of the oven.
Yes, but it melts differently than other cheeses. It melts wonderfully into sauces like the one for this recipe. It does not melt as well when left whole or crumbled on top of a dish. The spread is minimal and the texture does not change much. I originally tested this dish with crumbled goat cheese on top and preferred the mozzarella on top and the flavor and texture of the goat cheese in the sauce.
Goat cheese has a very unique and distinguishable flavor. It is tangy and smooth almost like a cream cheese, but with a more pungent flavor.
Yes. There is not enough time or liquid in this recipe to cook the pasta completely during the baking process. Most recipes will have you boil the pasta before baking. Some recipes are specifically created to use uncooked pasta but this one is not.
This recipe has you bake the pasta uncovered so that the panko topping does not get soggy from condensation that would form under foil if it was to be covered.
Panko is much crunchier and lighter than traditional breadcrumbs. They also have more flavor and do not absorb as much liquid or oil as traditional.
Related Recipes
Baked Goat Cheese Pasta
Ingredients:
Pasta
- 1 24 ounce jar Mezzetta's Artisan Ingredients Whole Garlic & Sweet Basil Marinara
- 4 cups bite sized pieces kale, loosely packed*
- 1 cup half and half
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 10 ounces fusilli or rotini pasta, cooked according to instructions minus 1-2 minutes*
Topping
- 1 Tablespoon basil pesto
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, sliced, preferably rainbow
- 4 ½ ounces mozzarella cheese*
Instructions:
- Review all recipe notes and instructions before beginning.
- In a large pot, heat the sauce and kale over medium heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the kale begins to soften.
- Turn the heat to low. Add in the half and half and the goat cheese. Stir continuously until the cheese is melted. Remove from the heat and fold in the cooked pasta.
- In a small bowl mix together the pesto and olive oil. Fold in the panko. Set aside.
- Grease a 2.5 quart baking dish. Pour the pasta into it. Top with tomatoes and cheese.
- Sprinkle the panko topping over the cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are bubbling. Broil for 1-2 minutes if desired.
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