Western
Simple Baked Pasta with Tomato and Mozzarella
A quick and comforting baked pasta dish using your cooked pasta, tomato paste, and mozzarella. Minimal effort for a satisfying meal.
About this recipe
Simple Baked Pasta with Tomato and Mozzarella is a western dinner for 2 that is a fast, high-heat stir-fry — have everything chopped before the wok gets hot., and it takes about 30 min total but only ~15 min of hands-on work — the rest is waiting. We sized it for a small household and ranked it on OneToCook by how much of it you already have in the fridge.
Good to know
* Dietary flags are derived from the listed ingredients — always check labels and your own needs for allergens.
Ingredients
- 300g cooked pasta
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 100g mozzarella
- 50ml milk
- 1/2 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
Equipment
Method
- 1
Preheat oven to 200°C.
~5 min
- 2
Finely chop the onion and minceMince.Cut very finely (releases stronger flavour, but burns faster).Glossary → the garlic.
~3 min
- 3
Heat 1 tbsp cooking oil in the frying pan/wok over medium heat (setting 5/9). SautéSauté.Cook quickly in a little fat over medium-high heat, keeping the food moving.Glossary → the chopped onion until softened, about 5 minutes.
~5 min
- 4
Add mincedMince.Cut very finely (releases stronger flavour, but burns faster).Glossary → garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
~1 min
- 5
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
~2 min
- 6
Add the cooked pasta, milk, 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine everything.
~2 min
- 7
Transfer the pasta mixture to an oven-safe dish. Top generously with shredded mozzarella cheese.
~1 min
- 8
Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the pasta is heated through.
~20 min
Smart swaps
Out of something? Try one of these.
- Garlic
- garlic powder (¼ tsp per clove) at a push.
Cook's notes
- Smash each clove with the flat of your knife first — the skin slips off and it minces in seconds. How to mince garlic →
- Dice the onion before anything heats up so it’s ready when the pan is — a even dice cooks evenly. How to dice an onion →
- Do your chopping first (mise en place). With everything prepped, the actual cooking here is only about 15 min.
Storage & leftovers
Cool, then store airtight in the fridge for up to 2–3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout; add a splash of water if it has dried out.
Frequently asked
How long does Simple Baked Pasta with Tomato and Mozzarella take to make? +
About 30 min from start to finish, but only roughly 15 min of that is hands-on — the rest is cooking or resting time.
How many people does this recipe serve? +
As written it serves 2. To cook for 4, roughly multiply the ingredients — but cook in batches if the pan gets crowded, so things sear instead of steaming.
What equipment do I need? +
You’ll want: oven, pot, frying pan / wok. OneToCook only suggests recipes that fit the equipment you tell it you have, so you can filter these out if your kitchen is more minimal.
What can I use if I'm missing an ingredient? +
Common swaps for this dish: Garlic → garlic powder (¼ tsp per clove) at a push. See the full list of smart swaps above.
Can I make Simple Baked Pasta with Tomato and Mozzarella ahead of time? +
Cool, then store airtight in the fridge for up to 2–3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout; add a splash of water if it has dried out.
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