Baked Pasta with Veggies

Cuisinart original

If you can’t find gemelli, any short, shaped pasta

works well here for holding onto cheese and veggies in each bite.

Yields

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

nonstick cooking spray

½ pound dried gemelli pasta

1½ cups broccoli florets

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 small red onion, chopped

1 small yellow bell pepper, cut into ½-inch slices

½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 ounces fresh goat cheese, room temperature

4 ounces Emmenthal (Swiss), shredded

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

4 to 6 basil leaves, thinly sliced

Nutritional information

Nutritional information per serving (based on 8 servings):

Calories 217 (34% from fat) • carb. 24g • pro. 11g • fat 8g • sat. fat 4g

• chol. 19mg • sod. 251mg • calc. 202mg • fiber 1g

Instructions

1. Lightly coat a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; reserve.

2. Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions to al dente doneness. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli to the pot. When ready to drain, scoop the broccoli out of the pot and reserve separately. Drain pasta and reserve back in pot. Separate any remaining broccoli.

3. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, ¼ teaspoon of the salt and all the black pepper. Cook the vegetables for 6 to 8 minutes, until softened. Add the broccoli florets during the last 2 to 3 minutes of cooking. Add the garlic during the last minute.

4. Remove the pan from the heat and add the vegetables directly to the pot with the cooked pasta. Add the remaining ingredients, including the remaining salt, and stir to thoroughly combine.

5. Preheat oven on Bake at 325˚F with the rack in the lower position.

6. While the oven is preheating, transfer the pasta to the prepared baking pan. Cover with foil and place the pan in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes, until cheese is melted and pasta is heated through.