Pesto Pasta Bake
This baked pesto pasta is the ultimate one-pan meal—creamy, flavorful, and packed with protein thanks to cottage cheese. It’s the perfect dish for busy weeknights or when you want a comforting, cheesy dinner in minutes!

I’m all about quick and easy recipes and this baked pesto pasta is a family favorite. Just blend, stir, bake, and enjoy! It’s rich, creamy, and surprisingly healthy. The sauce has tons of flavor thanks to store-bought pesto and the cottage cheese makes it super creamy while adding lots of protein. And since it all comes together in a single dish, cleanup is a breeze. If you enjoy this recipe, be sure to try my no boil baked ziti, too!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pasta – Use your favorite short pasta like penne or fusilli. I used Barilla’s Protein Plus penne pasta for extra protein and fiber.
- Cottage Cheese – Whole milk cottage cheese blends into a creamy, protein-packed sauce. Low-fat cottage cheese is a great alternative.
- Pesto – Store-bought pesto keeps things quick and easy, but if you want to make homemade pesto, try my easy walnut pesto!
- Spinach – Adds a pop of color and sneaks in some veggies.
- Garlic Powder – Enhances the savory flavors in the sauce. You could substitute for fresh garlic, if desired. But remember that fresh garlic can have a bit of a sharp bite.
- Mozzarella Cheese – I used part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese. Feel free to use whole milk mozzarella for an extra rich flavor.
How to Make Pesto Pasta
How to Reheat Leftovers
This baked pasta reheats well, so don’t worry if you have leftovers! Store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container. To reheat, remove each portion onto a microwave-safe dish, sprinkle with a few drops of water or spray lightly with olive oil, and reheat on 50% power for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. I do not recommend freezing leftovers.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do I need to cook the pasta first? No, the pasta will absorb the moisture from the sauce and cook in the oven.
- Can I add vegetables? You could add some chopped spinach if you like! I don’t recommend adding other vegetables which could change the moisture content of the dish.
- Can I make this fat-free? If you want to reduce the fat, you can use part-skim ricotta and low fat mozzarella cheese. But I don’t recommend using fat-free cheeses which don’t have much flavor.
- Can I make homemade pesto? Yes! Try this basil walnut pesto or parsley pesto.
What to Serve with Pasta
Looking for the perfect dish to pair with this pasta? Try my vegan Caesar salad with crispy chickpeas for a filling and delicious side. If you need something quick, my air fryer green beans are also a delicious option. I have a list of the best side dishes for pasta, so check out if you want to see more ideas!
Pesto Pasta Bake
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This baked pesto pasta is the ultimate one-pan meal—creamy, flavorful, and packed with protein thanks to cottage cheese. It’s the perfect dish for busy weeknights or when you want a comforting, cheesy dinner in minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 lb short pasta (penne, fusilli, or similar)
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 cup pesto (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup baby spinach
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Fresh basil leaves (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- In a blender, combine cottage cheese, pesto, garlic powder, spinach, and water. Blend until smooth.
- In a large greased 9×13-inch baking dish, add the uncooked pasta.
- Pour the blended cottage cheese mixture over the pasta and stir until evenly coated.
- Sprinkle one cup of mozzarella cheese over the top.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes to allow the pasta to cook through.
- Remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining one cup of mozzarella cheese evenly over the dish.
- Bake, uncovered, for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Regarding cooking temperature. My oven is having some electrical panel problems and I can only enter in 350 or 400 but not 375 degrees. Would this work at 350?
Yep! 350 should be just fine, it’ll just take a little longer!