Looking for some easy dump pasta bake recipes? On this page you’ll find all of my no boil pasta recipes. These are super easy pasta recipes where you just dump a few ingredients into a casserole dish and bake for less than one hour. Keep reading to watch my YouTube video tutorials and get these recipes.
What are dump pasta bake recipes?
- Dump recipes is a term used to describe recipes where you just dump a few ingredients into a cooking dish. This means there is no chopping and no prep required. Simply open containers of ingredients and pour into the dish to prepare.
- Pasta bake is a term used to describe a recipe where you bake pasta in the oven with other ingredients.
- Dump pasta bake is a term used to describe pasta recipes where you just dump ingredients into a baking dish and place in the oven to bake.
What does “no boil” mean?
- No boil is a term used to describe a pasta recipe where you don’t have to boil the pasta to cook it.
- In these dump pasta bake recipes you don’t have to boil the pasta beforehand. This saves a lot of time and energy and makes the pasta easier to prepare.
- Instead of boiling the pasta before baking, the heat of the oven and liquid in the baking dish create a boiling atmosphere for the pasta to cook like it would in a pot on the stove.
- It is important to consider for no boil pasta recipes that whatever flavorings are in the baking dish will absorb into the pasta as it’s cooking. Unlike simple boiled pasta recipes, which are simmered in plain salted water, the pasta in a dump pasta bake is very, very flavorful. I prefer this, however some people do not.
Why make a dump pasta bake?
If you want to save time and energy, and are ok with the pasta extra flavorful, dump pasta bake recipes are great for weeknight meals! They’re also great for taking to a potluck because they are one dish meals.
Can I make a dump pasta bake recipes in a slow cooker?
Yes! You can prepare these recipes in a slow cooker. Plan ahead and give the recipe about 3 hours on high heat to cook in the slow cooker. The outcome will be a little different because you a not roasting the recipe and creating caramelization, however a slow cooker is a great option to make these dump and go meals.
Cheap and easy pasta dinners
These dump pasta bakes are great for making a big dinner with little effort and cost. Some recipes can be made for $10 or less and feed 8 people. Since all you have to do is open packages and dump them into a dish, almost anyone can make dinner!
Trader Joe’s pasta recipes
I like to shop at Trader Joe’s because it’s a one-stop-shop for most grocery items, especially for pasta recipes. They offer great 1lb bags of pasta for just $.99! These are great for budget pasta meals.
The recipes on this page are made using ingredients which can be found at TJ’s.
Pyrex baking dishes
My preferred baking dishes are Pyrex 9″x13″ baking dishes with lids for 1 lb pasta bake recipes because they have enough room to cook 8 servings and are high quality. I like the baking dishes with lid so you can place the whole dish in the refrigerator or transport it easily.
Dump pasta bake recipes (no boil required!)
Here’s my recipes for dump and bake pasta dishes.
Penne with Olives and Tomatoes
This pasta is so delicious and all ingredients can be purchased at Trader Joe’s. Just dump 4 or 5 ingredients into a baking dish and bake for about 50 minutes. This is a great budget meal for weeknight dinners and even special occasions.
- Makes 8 servings
- Total Approximate Cost: $9.50 / $1.18 per serving
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Bake time: 50-55 minutes
Equipment
- 9″x13″ Pyrex Baking Dish
- Cooking spoon
- Cup measure
Ingredients
- 1 1lb. bag Penne Pasta
- 1 12.5 oz. jar Organic Pitted Olives in Olive Oil and Brine, drained, check for pits
- 3 tablespoons Trader Joe’s Aglio Olio Seasoning
- 1 package Organic Cherry Tomatoes
- 5-6 cup Water
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil, optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- Open all ingredients.
- Dump pasta, olives, seasoning, tomatoes, water and optional olive oil.
- Place uncovered into preheated oven. Bake for 50 minutes, or until water has mostly absorbed, pasta is cooked through and desired consistency. Stir 1-3x during baking so pasta on top doesn’t dry up.
- Serve hot or cold. Let rest for 10-15 minutes after baking so water can absorb into cooked pasta and thicken in the dish.
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