Spanish Pasta Bake with Chorizo and Peppers Recipe
This Spanish pasta bake with chorizo and peppers is a homestyle dish, perfect for a family dinner. It’s a bit like an Italian pasta bake, but the flavor is dominated by smoked paprika and spicy sausage. In many Spanish homes, dishes like this are made from leftover pasta and vegetables from the previous day.
This pasta bake combines the comfort of a classic oven-baked pasta with distinctly Spanish flavors: smoky paprika, chorizo and sweet peppers. It’s simple, filling and perfect for using up leftover pasta and vegetables.
Chef's tips
Undercook the pasta slightly so it doesn’t become mushy while baking. If your chorizo is very fatty, you can pour off a little of the rendered fat before adding the vegetables. Taste the sauce before mixing with the pasta and adjust the amount of smoked paprika, salt and pepper to your liking.
How to serve
Serve as a main course with a fresh green salad or tomato-cucumber salad. For a more festive meal, add a small tapas-style starter, such as olives or marinated peppers. It’s great both straight from the oven and reheated the next day.
Ingredients
- pasta short, e.g. fusilli or penne - 250 g
- chorizo sliced into half-moons - 150 g
- red bell pepper cut into strips - 1 piece
- green bell pepper cut into strips - 1 piece
- onion diced - 1 piece
- canned tomatoes chopped - 400 g
- yellow cheese grated, e.g. gouda or cheddar - 120 g
- olive oil - 2 tablespoons
- smoked paprika sweet or mildly hot - 1 teaspoon
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- parsley chopped, for serving - 1 tablespoon
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Cook the pasta in salted water for 2 minutes less than the time indicated on the package, drain and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the chorizo and fry for 3–4 minutes, until some of the fat is rendered and the sausage is lightly browned.
- Add the onion and fry for another 3–4 minutes, stirring, until it softens and becomes slightly translucent.
- Add the red and green pepper strips and fry for 5–6 minutes, until they soften but are still slightly firm.
- Sprinkle in the smoked paprika and stir, then after about 20 seconds pour in the canned tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Transfer the cooked pasta to a large bowl, pour in the sauce from the pan and mix thoroughly so the pasta is evenly coated.
- Transfer everything to an ovenproof dish, smooth the surface and sprinkle with grated cheese.
- Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 15–20 minutes, until the cheese melts and is lightly browned around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and let the bake rest for 5 minutes so it cools slightly and is easier to slice.
- Before serving, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve warm.
Storage
Zapiekankę przechowuj w lodówce, najlepiej w tym samym naczyniu przykrytym folią lub w pojemniku. Podgrzewaj w piekarniku w 170°C przez 10–15 minut lub w mikrofalówce. Możesz też zamrozić pojedyncze porcje i rozmrażać w lodówce przez noc.
