In this recipe, I found that 12 oz. of pasta was perfect for the amount of pesto and veggies we used. So what are you supposed to do with the other 4 oz. of pasta that’s left? I like to cook all 16 oz. of pasta and then reserve about 1/4 of the noodles for a quick and easy lunch/dinner for my daughter. I can add spaghetti sauce or just leave them plain, tossed in oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. If you want the meal to go further, you can include all 16 oz. of pasta in the pasta bake and just add a bit more pesto and heavy cream! Or, look for a box of pasta that is 12 oz.

You can use any veggies you like in this dish. We have been getting tons of squash from our CSA so that’s what we used. Other veggies that would work well in this pasta include zucchini, spinach, broccoli, eggplant, and asparagus. Also, you can add extra veggies to bulk it up too!

You can use whatever kind of cheese you’d like in this recipe. I love fresh mozzarella and will pretty much try to add it to everything we eat. It’s so ooey and gooey with a mild flavor and stretchy texture. It’s a great neutral cheese but other cheeses that would taste great include goat cheese, Gruyere, shredded mozzarella, Fontina, or Muenster.

When you saute the squash in this recipe, you aren’t trying to cook it all the way through. You’re just looking for a bit of a sear so that you can really start to bring out the flavors. The squash will finish cooking as it bakes with the pasta in the oven. It’s very easy to overcook squash so it’s important to remember this while you’re sauteing.