My sister brought this 4 ingredient summer bake to our cookout and there were absolutely zero leftovers

This oven baked 4-ingredient caprese pasta is the kind of easy summer bake you bring to a cookout and watch disappear—my sister brought it once and there were absolutely zero leftovers. It has all the flavors of a classic caprese salad—sweet cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil—tossed with tender penne and baked until bubbly and golden around the edges. It’s simple, comforting, and practical for busy nights, but still pretty enough to set in the middle of a picnic table and let everyone dig in.

Serve this caprese pasta bake straight from the casserole dish while it’s still hot and the mozzarella is stretchy. It pairs nicely with a simple green salad dressed in olive oil and vinegar, garlic bread or a crusty baguette, and something cool and crisp to drink like iced tea or lemonade. For a cookout, set it next to grilled chicken or sausages, corn on the cob, and a big bowl of watermelon so everyone can scoop a little bit of everything onto their plates.

Servings: 6

12 oz (about 4 cups) dry penne pasta

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with a little olive oil so the pasta doesn’t stick.

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook until just shy of al dente, about 1–2 minutes less than the package directions. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven.

Before draining the pasta, carefully scoop out about 1/2 cup of the hot pasta cooking water and set it aside. Drain the pasta well.

In the greased casserole dish, add the drained penne, cherry tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella balls. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, then sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

Gently toss everything together right in the baking dish. If the mixture looks a bit dry, splash in 1/4 cup of the reserved hot pasta water to help everything stay saucy as it bakes.

Spread the pasta mixture into an even layer. Cover the dish tightly with foil to help the tomatoes burst and the cheese melt without drying out.

Bake, covered, for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the foil (watch for steam), then return the dish to the oven and bake uncovered for another 10–15 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft and blistered, the mozzarella is melted and lightly golden in spots, and the edges are bubbling.

Remove the casserole from the oven and let it sit for 5–10 minutes so it can settle and cool slightly. This rest time helps the cheese thicken a bit so it’s easier to scoop.

Right before serving, scatter the torn or chopped fresh basil evenly over the top and gently toss just a little so you get basil in every scoop without completely hiding the pretty melted cheese and burst tomatoes.

Serve the pasta hot straight from the dish, using a big spoon to lift up those stretchy strands of mozzarella and juicy tomatoes with the penne. Taste and add a pinch more salt or pepper at the table if needed.

For picky eaters, you can slice the cherry tomatoes in half before baking so they’re less likely to burst in big pieces, or even mash some of them gently after baking to create a softer, milder sauce that blends into the pasta. If your kids aren’t big on basil, sprinkle it over only half the dish so everyone can serve themselves from the side they like. To make it a bit heartier, stir in cooked, diced chicken or sliced cooked Italian sausage before baking, keeping the total add-ins modest so the four main caprese ingredients still shine. For extra flavor without adding more ingredients, use a mix of yellow and red cherry tomatoes for sweetness, or choose a lightly salted fresh mozzarella. If you need to prep ahead, you can cook the pasta and assemble everything in the dish (without the basil), cover, and refrigerate for up to 8 hours; add 5–10 minutes to the baking time and sprinkle basil on right before serving. Food safety tips: Always keep fresh mozzarella refrigerated and don’t leave this pasta bake at room temperature for more than 2 hours at a cookout (1 hour if it’s very hot outside). Reheat leftovers to at least 165°F (74°C) before eating, and store them in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If using meat add-ins, make sure any chicken or sausage is fully cooked before mixing it into the pasta.