Spice it Up: Baked Pasta
Spending a Sunday evening crowded around a loud table full of laughter, love, and pasta is an evening anyone can appreciate. I mean really, who doesn't love a hearty plate of pasta. It can be created in so many different ways with infinite different ingredient combinations so there is always something for even the pickiest of eaters. One of the most popular ways to cook pasta is by baking. We have listed some of our favorite dishes with hints for how to spice it up just right for a new family favorite.
Delicious Baked Pasta Dishes
Baked Ziti is a classic Italian American comfort food of pasta baked with sausage, tomato sauce, and all sorts of melty, delicious cheese. It's a lot like a classic lasagna casserole, but easier to make and without lots of layers or broken noodles. Once you find a basic you can make it your own – vary the cheeses, take out the meat, even leave out the sauce. Add some Totally Mixed-Up instead of the table salt to further enhance the flavor.
Rigatoni Pasta Bake is a dish loaded with rigatoni pasta, ground beef, 2 different types of cheese, and plenty of sauce. This simple, yet hearty and comforting baked rigatoni will have even the picky eaters requesting seconds. For another option, you can easily replace the ground beef in this rigatoni pasta bake with ground turkey – switch up the flavor further by trying different types of cheese, or even an Italian cheese blend. Add in some Berbere Ethiopian for a slight kick and major flavor punch.
Vegetarian Baked Pasta is full of delicious fresh vegetables, loaded with cheese, and best of all only takes ONE pot to make! Your family will beg for this meal! You can decide on a pasta you prefer; commonly penne, bowties, or spirals are used. Vegetables used often in these dishes are mushrooms, zucchini, onions, grape tomatoes, red & yellow peppers, broccoli, and any other vegetable you love. The great thing about it is the easy customization options for the dish. This can be a vegan option as well. Pasta Lover’s Paradise is the perfect go-to when making any pasta dish with a distinct and delicious flavor.
Note: As one of the most versatile blends, the Pasta Lover’s Paradise can be used for a wonderful bread dipping oil, or combined with oil and vinegar to make a dressing for your salad to pull your entire meal together perfectly.
Baked Pasta Primavera Casserole is extra creamy with an amazing cream cheese alfredo sauce, and baked together with vegetables. The secret to this dish? It’s that creamy cheese alfredo sauce! Pasta and vegetables is a classic combo, but making it super creamy with that alfredo is what really wins the game. Baking this pasta dish makes it extra easy to make, coming out like a casserole. Try seasoning your vegetables with Garlic Lemon Pepper – a zesty invigorating seasoning that is guaranteed to add just the right zing for a memorable meal.
We are just merely scraping the surface on pasta options, you can create your own dish using any pasta, sauce, and additional ingredients you choose. The most important part, besides the perfect al-dente noodle, of course, is the seasoning you use to make it just right. Julia Belle’s has the perfect addition to any dinner. With a large variety of hand-blended seasonings, rubs, and mixes, these original flavors will spice up your Sunday night every time. Visit our online shop to pick out one (or five) to kick your dinners up a few notches.