This fajita pasta bake is packed full of peppers, mushrooms and onions in a spicy sauce topped with lots of cheese! Veggies combined with my favourite fajita seasonings give this pasta bake a delicious twist.
Pasta bakes are my favourite kind of comfort food! I make them a lot so they need to be really good! We have a few favourites that I make on a regular basis like this Broccoli Pasta Bake or my Pesto Pasta Bake. However, this fajita pasta bake is the one I make the most.
This dish is easy to make and really delivers on flavour. The veggies are cooked in fajita spices with tomatoes. Tossed with pasta then sour cream is added to give a creamy sauce that all good pasta bakes need! Topped with two types of cheese, and cooked until golden brown. Let's get stuck in!
Here's What You'll Need
- Pasta - use pasta that is tubular or has ridges. Penne, rigatoni or fusilli work best. You can use wholewheat or gluten-free pasta if you wish.
- Sour Cream - full-fat is best but you can use half-fat if you want.
- Cheese - I use a mix of mature (sharp) cheddar cheese and Edam cheese for the topping. We love the salty nutty flavour it brings to this pasta bake. You can just use cheddar if you want.
How To Make It
This is just a quick visual guide please see the recipe card below for full instructions and ingredient list.
1. Cook the onion until soft. Add the garlic and cook for a minute, then add the peppers and mushrooms. Cook for a minute or two.
2. Add the seasonings and stir well. Cook for a minute or two then pour in the tomatoes and tomato puree. Stir well and cook for about 10 minutes. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.
3. Drain the pasta then tip it into a large casserole dish. Add the vegetable mixture and the sour cream and mix well.
3. Add the grated cheese to the top of the pasta then bake in the oven for 20 - 30 minutes. Leave to cool slightly before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Undercook the pasta - when I make pasta bakes I always undercook the pasta slightly. The pasta will cook in the sauce in the oven so undercooking it will prevent the pasta from turning into limp mushy pasta. 2 to 3 minutes less than the packet says should do the trick.
- Save some pasta water - if you find your sauce too thick add some of the pasta water to it to loosen it up a bit. This will also help the sauce stick to the pasta.
- Let the pasta bake rest - leaving the pasta bake to cool off for 5 to 10 minutes will not only leave it to cool slightly saving your mouth but will also give the sauce the chance to settle into the ridges and hollows of the pasta. If you go in too early the sauce will pool around at the bottom of the dish and the sauce will seem thin.
- Add-ins - there is a lot you can do with this pasta bake, try adding in some canned sweetcorn, or roasted courgettes (zucchini). You could also stir some spinach through this too if you want.
This is a great budget-friendly dish, it's perfect for a tasty weeknight dinner. We love this on its own or with a green salad and some garlic bread. If I'm really in need of some extra comfort food I'll serve some crispy potato wedges on the side, the oven is on anyway, and sometimes you need those double carbs, right?
Looking for more tasty pasta dishes? Here are some of our favourites.
- Creamy Pasta with Tomatoes and Spinach - quick and easy to make, this pasta with cherry tomatoes, spinach and olives is combined with cheese and creme fraiche to create a light sauce that makes for a fresh and tasty pasta dish. Full of flavour, budget-friendly and great for busy weeknights!
- Mushroom Pasta Bake with Kale - this creamy mushroom pasta bake with kale is a delicious veggie dinner. Pasta, mushrooms and kale in a creamy cheesy sauce baked with a crispy topping. Perfect comfort food!
- Creamy Garlic Mushroom Pasta - my personal favourite this creamy, garlicky pasta is ready in just 20 minutes and tasted amazing!
Finally, if you make this Fajita Pasta Bake be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating! I love to hear from you and will try to respond to each and every one of your comments. And if you do make this don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! I really love seeing your photos of my recipes!
Vegetarian Fajita Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 350 g (3½ cups) of pasta (dry weight) I used penne
- 1 medium red onion cut in half then sliced thinly
- 3 cloves of garlic put through a garlic press or finely grated
- 3 medium bell peppers Pith and seeds removed and then cut into thin strips. I used a mixture of red, yellow and green.
- 270 g (3 cups) of brown mushrooms sliced thickly or cut into quarters if small
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp mild chilli powder
- 1½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried coriander leaf
- 1 x 400 g (1 x 14.5oz) can of chopped (diced) tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato puree (paste)
- 160 g (½ a heaped cup) of sour cream
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 80 g (⅓ of a cup) of mature (sharp) cheddar cheese grated
- 50 g (¼ cup) of Edam cheese grated
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large sautè pan over medium.Add the sliced onions along with a pinch of sea salt and cook for about 10 minutes. Stir the onions often to avoid burning.Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions minus 2 or 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic to the onions and cook for a minute. Next, add the peppers and mushrooms. Cook for a minute then add the spices and dried herbs. For the spice, you will need, 2 teaspoons of ground cumin, 1½ teaspoons of paprika, ½ a teaspoon of mild chilli powder. For the dried herbs, you will need, 1½ teaspoons of dried oregano and 1 teaspoon of dried coriander leaf.Stir until the vegetables are covered in spices and herbs. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and stir well. Add in 2 tablespoons of tomato puree, season with salt and pepper then leave to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Drain the pasta then tip it into a large casserole dish. Add the vegetable mixture to the pasta. Next, add the sour cream and carefully mix everything together. Spread the grated cheese over the pasta and bake in the oven at 180°C (350F) Fan/ 200°C (390F) conventional oven for 20 - 30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling at the edges and the cheese is golden. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Undercook the pasta - when I make pasta bakes I always undercook the pasta slightly. The pasta will cook in the sauce in the oven so undercooking it will prevent the pasta from turning into limp mushy pasta. 2 to 3 minutes less than the packet says should do the trick.
- Save some pasta water - if you find your sauce too thick add some of the pasta water to it to loosen it up a bit. This will also help the sauce stick to the pasta.
- Let the pasta bake rest - leaving the pasta bake to cool off for 5 to 10 minutes will not only leave it to cool slightly, saving you from burning your mouth but will also give the sauce the chance to settle into the ridges and hollows of the pasta. If you go in too early the sauce will pool around at the bottom of the dish and the sauce will seem thin.
- Add-ins - there is a lot you can do with this pasta bake, try adding in some canned sweetcorn, or roasted courgettes (zucchini). You could also stir some spinach through this too if you want.
- Leftovers - if you do have any leftovers they can be stored in the fridge once cooled. I reheat this in the microwave.
- Freezing - I haven't frozen this pasta bake but I'm sure it would freeze fine, I would probably freeze it before baking.
- Recipe Inspiration - This recipe was inspired by this recipe.by Tasty.co
- Nutritional Information - is approximate and is calculated using an online nutrition tool. It is based on one serving of 6.
- Weights and measurements - For US readers, I use Cuisipro measuring cups and spoons, and a Pyrex measuring jug for liquids. These are the industry standard. Cup/spoon volumes can differ from brand to brand, for accuracy, I recommend weighing all ingredients if possible for best results.
Absolutely delicious! One of my children is not a fan of mushrooms but even he loved it. Will definitely be making this again!
Hi Christina, thanks so much, I'm so glad you all enjoyed it 🙂
I made this yesterday for dinner and kept some for lunch today. They are very tasty and we liked the spices added that makes this pasta bake different from the rest that i have made. I have used double cream instead of sour cream as I have leftovers in the fridge. And only 80 ml which is sufficient. And I used a mix of cheddar cheese and mozarella cheese. Great recipe and will definitely made this again.
Hi Gwendelene, thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed it 🙂