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Home » Dietary Preference » Vegetarian » No-Boil Creamy Vegetable Pasta Bake

No-Boil Creamy Vegetable Pasta Bake

By Taesha Butler February 8, 2022 (Updated December 30, 2022) 12 Comments

Servings8 servings
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Jump to Recipe
4.70 from 10 votes

This creamy vegetable pasta bake is easy and delicious! No need to boil the pasta! Just dump everything into the baking dish, cover, and bake. Minimal prep and done baking in about 45 minutes, this vegetarian dinner is filling and easy to make gluten free.

No boil creamy vegetable pasta in the baking dish with a wooden spoon.

No-boil pasta bake

An easy vegetarian pasta recipe is one of my favorite go-to dinners. Simple to make, loaded with flavor, and the perfect veggie-loaded comfort food that my family is always excited about eating. Plus, pasta bakes are typically all made in one dish, so it makes clean up easy breezy. Something I am always game for.

And I just made dinner a little easier with this NO BOIL pasta bake!!

Unlike most pasta bakes, you don’t need to boil the pasta beforehand. Nope! You just dump the pasta with veggies and liquid into the casserole dish, cover and bake! This dish is made creamy and protein packed from cottage cheese and Greek yogurt. And, of course, this dinner recipe is veggie-loaded with 3 different kinds of vegetables: cauliflower, spinach, and peas. Quick to throw together and pop in the oven while you do other things, this creamy vegetable pasta is vegetarian and easily gluten free when you use GF pasta, and is done and ready to enjoy in about 45 minutes.

Process shots for how to make no-boil creamy vegetable pasta

Did you make this pasta bake—and now you have leftover spinach? Check out How to Store Spinach (and keep it fresh all week long).

Frequently asked questions

What kind of pasta is best in this creamy vegetable pasta?

Small pasta, like elbows or shells, works best in this recipe.

You can use whole wheat, bean-based, or any pasta for this dish. Depending on what type of pasta you use, baking times may vary. To make sure your pasta is cooked though, taste a piece of pasta after the 35-minute cooking time. If it is still underdone, place the foil back over the top and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

What kind of cottage cheese and yogurt should I use?

You can use any kind as long as it is plain, flavor-free cottage cheese and yogurt. Dairy with a higher fat content such as whole milk or 2% will make a pasta with a creamier sauce. However, if you only have fat-free dairy on hand or prefer it, that will still work.

Can I make this creamy pasta bake gluten free?

Yes, this bake works great with your favorite gluten free pasta! Some GF pasta takes longer to bake, so be sure to check that your pasta is cooked through. If needed, add on an extra 5 minutes of baking before enjoying.

Process shots for how to make the cream sauce for the creamy vegetable pasta bake.

Can I use frozen vegetables in this creamy pasta bake?

Yes! I already used frozen peas and riced cauliflower in this recipe, but you can also used frozen spinach. I would defrost it and squeeze out most of the excess liquid before stirring it into the pasta.

What other veggies can I use?

Most vegetables will work in this dish as long as they are chopped small and will cook through in the bake time. Frozen or fresh broccoli should be chopped into very small florets so the liquid in the casserole dish will cover everything in the pan.

Can I make this pasta bake ahead of time?

This pasta bake is best enjoyed fresh from the oven. The leftovers are still delicious, but the pasta tends to absorb the sauce as it sits and the leftover bake will be dryer than it was when fresh.

Can I freeze this vegetable pasta bake?

I would not recommend freezing this pasta bake or any cooked pasta. I find it gets quite mushy when defrosted and does not hold its shape well.

Process shot for how to make no-boil creamy vegetable pasta bake.

Suggested Adaptations

To make this gluten free, use your favorite gluten free pasta.

Use frozen spinach. Just defrost it and squeeze out most of the excess liquid before stirring it into the pasta.

Replace the spinach with chopped kale.

Load it up with more veggies. Grated carrots, chopped bell peppers or sautéed mushrooms would be an awesome addition to this creamy vegetable pasta.

Add in your favorite protein. Cooked chicken, cooked shrimp or cooked chickpeas would be a delicious addition to this vegetarian dinner recipe. I would suggest stirring in the cooked protein when you add the peas and spinach to the bake.

Process shots for how to make creamy vegetable pasta bake.

Other veggie-loaded pasta recipes to add to the dinner menu

  • Spinach Chickpea Baked Feta Pasta
  • Baked Pasta with Eggplant
  • Baked Spinach Artichoke Pasta
  • Pesto Veggie Pasta Salad
  • Quick & Easy Creamy Broccoli Pasta

Loving this creamy pasta recipe and now you’re hungry for more?

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A wooden spoon taking out a scoop of no-boil creamy vegetable pasta bake from the casserole dish.
A serving of no-boil pasta bake on a dish with a fork. There is a blue napkin next to it.
Print Recipe
4.70 from 10 votes

No-Boil Creamy Vegetable Pasta Bake

This creamy vegetable pasta bake is easy and delicious! No need to boil the pasta! Just dump everything into the baking dish, cover, and bake. Minimal prep and done baking in about 45 minutes, this vegetarian dinner is filling and easy to make gluten free.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Keyword: cauliflower, pasta, peas, spinach
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 419kcal
Author: Taesha Butler

Ingredients 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound small-shaped pasta * such as shells, penne, or fusilli (use gluten free if needed)
  • 2 cups riced cauliflower fresh or frozen
  • 1 ½ cups cottage cheese
  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 cups milk
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
  • ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 ½ cups hot water
  • 2 cups baby spinach roughly chopped
  • 1 ½ cups frozen peas

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 425℉. Grease the inside of a 9-by-13-inch casserole/baking dish with the olive oil.
  • Pour the uncooked pasta into the casserole dish then sprinkle the cauliflower rice over the pasta.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the cottage cheese, yogurt, milk, parmesan, ½ cup mozzarella, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Pour the cheese mixture over the pasta then pour the hot water over the top. Use a spoon to gently mix and spread out all the ingredients in the dish. Make sure the pasta is mostly covered with the sauce.
  • Tightly cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil. Bake until pasta is cooked through, 40-50 minutes. See notes for why there is a broad time range.
  • Carefully remove the foil using an oven mitt (there will be lots of steam). Check to see if pasta is done cooking. If it is not done, re-cover and place back in oven to bake for 5 more minutes before checking again.
  • Preheat the broiler. Stir in the spinach and peas into the pasta then spread the pasta back out into an even layer. Sprinkle the top with remaining cup of mozzarella. Broil until the cheese is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve and enjoy warm.

Notes

* the type of pasta you use will determine the cooking times. White pasta tends to take 35-40 minutes to cook, while whole wheat or gluten free pastas take 45-50 minutes to cook. Always check to see if your pasta is done cooking before adding the spinach and peas, so that you can cook it for longer if needed. 

Nutrition

Calories: 419kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 707mg | Potassium: 497mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1175IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 307mg | Iron: 2mg

The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!

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Filed Under: Dinner, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Vegetarian Tagged With: cauliflower, peas, spinach

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Reader Interactions

    Leave a comment & rate this recipe Cancel reply

    Did you make this recipe? So good, right? It would mean the world to me if you left a comment and star rating so that more people can see how delicious veggie-loading can be. Plus, it helps me to see what recipes you are all loving so I can make more like them.

    Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback.

    Recipe Rating




    Comments

  1. Madelyn

    February 8, 2022 at 3:33 pm

    Can I use ricotta instead of cottage cheese?

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      February 8, 2022 at 4:23 pm

      I haven’t tried but I bet it would work!

      Reply
    • Rana almalki

      June 5, 2022 at 10:00 am

      3 stars
      I tried this with ricotta , for some reason the dish turned out dry and the base watery … couldn’t find cottage cheese where I live – I wonder if there is anything in could add next time to keep it moist and creamy ?

      Reply
      • Taesha Butler

        June 5, 2022 at 11:57 am

        Thanks for sharing how this worked with ricotta! Did it come together better when you stirred it up, by chance? Also, let me help you trouble so maybe next time is is a delicious success! Did happen to make any other changes to the recipe? You mentioned it was dry but watery. Did you cover it when baking? I ask because that is important for locking in moisture so that the past cooks evenly and prevents too much liquid from cooking off.

        Reply
  2. Deirdre

    February 14, 2022 at 6:13 pm

    Should I thaw the peas or cauliflower first or just mix them in frozen?

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      February 14, 2022 at 6:18 pm

      You can add both frozen. The cauliflower will cook with the pasta and the peas cook up quick in the hot pasta and when you stick it under the broiler.

      Reply
  3. Lital

    May 2, 2022 at 10:01 pm

    4 stars
    This recipe is amazing!!! My kids have started requesting it as “mommy’s special Mac and cheese.” It’s part of our regular rotation now. Make it tonight!

    Reply
    • Lital

      May 2, 2022 at 10:04 pm

      5 stars
      Wait I accidentally clicked 4 stars instead of 5 the first time I rated! Can’t figure out how to change it.

      Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      May 3, 2022 at 11:06 am

      I love that it is your “special mac and cheese!” Kids loving on their veggie-loaded meals is what I hope to do everyday with these recipes. That makes my heart so happy to hear (and I changed your rating, as you asked! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!)

      Reply
  4. Mo

    May 29, 2022 at 12:08 am

    Yes this was amazing!!!!

    Reply
  5. Jessie

    October 1, 2022 at 5:09 pm

    Can you make this with plain yogurt?

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      October 2, 2022 at 9:40 am

      Sure. The sauce might be a bit thinner but it should take just as great!

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Taesha! I help busy people fall in love with healthy eating with my simple, family-friendly, veggie-loaded recipes. I believe vegetables can and SHOULD be delicious. Here, let me show you how!

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