• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Everyday Healthy Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Cookie Policy
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Cookie Policy
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Easy Meals

    Pasta Bake with Fennel and Cherry Tomatoes

    September 10, 2017 By Monika Last Updated May 26, 2021 6 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    This easy one-pot pasta with fennel and cherry tomatoes is a delicious vegetarian dinner idea, simple to make and based around a handful of healthy ingredients. Ready in under 50 minutes.

    Fussili pasta with sliced fennel and tomato sauce in large white casserole dish with spoon, pasta and sauce in bowl, halved fennel and grater in background.

    This simple one-pot pasta with fennel and tomatoes ticks so many boxes - it's delicious, easy to make, and healthy!  Come to think of it, there aren't really any other boxes to tick, at least as far as everyday cooking, so well done me:)

    This pasta bake with fennel takes only about 45 minutes to make!  This includes boiling the pasta, chopping and cooking the vegetables as well as the time needed for the dish to bake in the oven.  I think that's not bad for a recipe that's made from scratch!

    The list of ingredients is also reasonably short and I've kept the extras (i.e. spices) to the minimum.  Apart from some oregano and smoked paprika I also used some onion granules for more depth of flavour.  I rely quite a bit on this ingredient in my everyday cooking when there is no time to chop the onions or when I want a more intense onion flavour in a dish.

    Fennel can be prepared in various ways but for this fennel pasta bake I decided to slice it thinly and simply cook with the other sauce ingredients.  This is a quick and easy method, perfect to use in a simple meal idea.  You might also like this easy vegetable casserole with roasted fennel and beans as well as creamy beet soup with fennel and kale.

    Pasta, fennel and tomatoes in large shallow, white dish with spoon, green cloth to the right and raw fennel with knife on top of wooden board in background.

    Equipment you'll need

    • Kitchen scale/measuring cup
    • Cutting board, knife and grater
    • Pot and strainer for preparing the pasta
    • Large shallow dish suitable for all sources of heat (or large pan and separate casserole dish)

    How to make pasta with fennel and tomatoes: step-by-step

    1.Preheat the oven to 400 F/ 200 C/ gas mark 6. Boil the pasta for 4 minutes in salted water with the bay leaf then strain reserving the water (you will need 300 ml/1.25 cups). In the meantime prepare the other ingredients. In a pan/casserole dish heat up 3 tablespoons of oil and fry the garlic, onion and fennel for 6 minutes stirring often. Add the wine and continue cooking for 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat.

    Sliced fennel and onions in large, white shallow dish with black spatula to the right.

    2. Add the tomatoes, passata, pasta (including 300 ml/1.25 cups of the water it cooked in), oregano, smoked paprika, onion granules, parmesan, salt and pepper and stir thoroughly.

    Fussili pasta, tomatoes, fennel and grated cheese in large white shallow dish.

    3. Dot the cherry tomatoes (cut side up) over the top of the casserole, sprinkle 3 tablespoons of finely grated parmesan over the whole thing and drizzle with oil.  Bake in the upper part of the oven for 20 minutes then increase the heat to 240 C and bake for 10-15 more minutes until the sauce has caramelised around the edges.

    Fussili pasta with tomatoes in large white shallow casserole dish.

    4. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

    Baked tomato fennel pasta in large white casserole dish with black rubber gloves around handles.

    Top tips

    • Equipment: If possible use a large shallow casserole dish that's suitable for all heat sources.  Alternatively use a large pan for making the sauce then transfer the mixture to a casserole dish.
    • Preparation: To save time prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking.
    • Pasta: Fusilli, penne or macaroni would all work well in this recipe. Ensure the pasta is only half cooked before combining with the other ingredients. Remember to reserve the water from cooking the pasta (300 ml).
    • Best served immediately.
    • Not suitable for freezing.
    Top down view of pasta with tomatoes and fennel in large shallow white dish with spoon, raw fennel and pasta bake in small bowl in background.

    Related recipes

    • Pasta Bake with Soya Beans
    • Lentil Lasagna with Kale
    • Easy Eggplant Pasta Bake with Chickpeas

    Check out also this collection of over 12 healthy vegetarian pasta meals.

    Keep in touch

    If you make this simple fennel and pasta casserole I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Did you make any substitutions/use different herbs? Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

    Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular recipe updates! Or you could subscribe to this blog and receive all my latest recipes right into your mailbox!

    Fussili pasta with sliced fennel and tomato sauce in large white casserole dish with spoon, pasta and sauce in bowl, halved fennel and grater in background.

    Pasta Bake with Fennel and Cherry Tomatoes

    This simple pasta bake with fennel and cherry tomatoes is the perfect mid-week dish, easy to make and based around only a handful of ingredients. 
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner, Lunch
    Cuisine: vegetarian
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 5 servings
    Calories: 360kcal
    Author: Monika Dabrowski

    Ingredients

    • 2½ cups (200 g) uncooked pasta I used fusilli
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1 large fennel quartered then thinly sliced
    • 7.76 ounces (220 g) cherry tomatoes halved
    • 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
    • 1 onion finely chopped
    • 1x14.11oz can (400 g) chopped tomatoes
    • ¾ cup (180 g) passata
    • 4 tablespoons white wine
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for drizzling
    • 1½ teaspoons oregano and smoked/sweet paprika each
    • ½ teaspoon onion granules
    • ½ cup (60 g) parmesan, coarsely grated plus 3 tablespoons finely grated; ensure it's vegetarian
    • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt plus pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 400 F/ 200 C/ gas mark 6. Boil the pasta for 4 minutes in salted water with the bay leaf then strain reserving the water (you will need 300 ml/1.25 cups). In the meantime prepare the other ingredients. In a pan/casserole dish heat 3 tablespoons of oil and fry the garlic, onion and fennel for 6 minutes stirring often. Add the wine and continue cooking for 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat.
    • Add the tomatoes, passata, pasta (including 300 ml/1.25 cups of the water it cooked in), oregano, smoked paprika, onion granules, parmesan, salt and pepper and stir thoroughly.
    • Dot the cherry tomatoes (cut side up) over the top of the casserole, sprinkle 3 tablespoons of finely grated parmesan over the whole thing and drizzle with oil.  Bake in the upper part of the oven for 20 minutes then increase the heat to 240 C and bake for 10-15 more minutes until the sauce has caramelised around the edges.
    • Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

    Notes

    • Equipment: If possible use a large shallow casserole dish that's suitable for all heat sources.  Alternatively use a large pan for making the sauce then transfer the mixture to a casserole dish.
    • Preparation: To save time prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking.
    • Pasta: Fusilli, penne or macaroni would all work well in this recipe. Ensure the pasta is only half cooked before combining with the other ingredients. Remember to reserve the water from cooking the pasta (300 ml).
    • Best served immediately.
    • Not suitable for freezing.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 333mg | Potassium: 847mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 754IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 227mg | Iron: 3mg

    *Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.

    **A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.

    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @Monika8021 or tag #EverydayHealthyRecipes!
    « Hoisin Chicken Noodle Stir Fry (Low Carb)
    Roasted Beetroot Pasta Recipe »
    518 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Angela / Only Crumbs Remain

      September 17, 2017 at 9:55 am

      I love the sound of this Monika. We're huge fans of pasta dishes, ad like you really aren't a fan of them with creamy sauces. Love that the flavours of the veggies are so clean.
      Angela x

      Reply
      • Monika

        September 18, 2017 at 7:36 am

        Thank you Angela! When it comes to quick family dinners pasta is my first choice, and it's so easy to make it healthy.

        Reply
    2. Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie

      September 13, 2017 at 1:35 pm

      Tasty, easy to make, and healthy? Sounds like my kind of recipe 😀 Thanks for linking it up to #CookBlogShare. Eb x

      Reply
      • Monika

        September 13, 2017 at 7:56 pm

        Thank you Eb:)

        Reply
    3. Vicky | The Flourishing Pantry

      September 11, 2017 at 4:21 pm

      This looks delicious! Really looking forward to having more fennel this autumn, it's such a gorgeous addition to dishes

      Reply
      • Monika

        September 11, 2017 at 4:53 pm

        Thank you! I completely agree about the fennel being a great addition to so many dishes.

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I am Monika, welcome to Everyday Healthy Recipes! This blog is all about simple recipes with a healthy twist, old classics with a modern take, and an occasional Polish dish thrown into the mix - all easy to make, healthy and delicious, perfect for everyday cooking.

    Find out more about me →

    Popular Posts

    • Authentic Polish Potato Dumplings (Kopytka)
    • Spinach & Feta Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
    • Mediterranean Vegetable Stew with Beans
    • Leek and Potato Dumpling Stew (Vegan)

    Polish Recipes

    • Authentic Polish Bigos Stew Recipe
    • 6 Pierogi Recipes Plus Tips for Making Pierogi
    • Polish Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Golabki) in Tomato Sauce
    • Polish Chicken Noodle Soup (Rosol)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • About

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for recipe updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2023 · Everyday Healthy Recipes