Ultimate Vegetarian Pasta Bake
This veggie-loaded pasta bake is one of my family’s favourite dinners, especially when we want a plant-based meal. It’s filled with vegetables like roasted butternut squash, mushrooms, capsicum, and spinach, paired with a delicious tomato sauce and baked with feta and Tasty cheese. It’s an incredibly comforting dinner that is also nutrient-dense.
Ingredients 17
For Pumpkin
3 1⁄2 cups butternut squash, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
1⁄4 tsp salt
Mushrooms
3 cups mushrooms, sliced, about 200 grams / 7 oz
1 1⁄2 tbsp olive oil
1⁄4 tsp salt
For Tomato Spinach Sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped, about 1 cup
1 red capsicum, diced
3 cloves garlic, large, minced or grated
1 tsp salt
1⁄2 tsp black pepper
1⁄3 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 1⁄2 cups tomato passata (tomato sauce), aka marinara sauce, about 400 grams or 14 oz
1⁄2 cup sun-dried tomato strips, chopped finely, used the ones stored in oil
2 cups baby spinach leaves
1⁄2 cup pasta water, when mixing in the pasta
For Cooking Pasta
6 cups pasta, such as fusilli or penne, about 400 grams / 14 oz
1 tsp salt
Cheeses
1⁄2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 cups tasty cheddar, grated
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Method 8
Prepare roasted squash. Preheat oven to 200 C. Peel and cut the squash into large cubes. Drizzle with a little and sprinkle with . Roast on a large, flat baking tray for 25-30 minutes, until lovely and soft.
Cook the . Slice the mushrooms. Saute in a large pan with a little and over medium-high heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until golden brown.
Cook the . While the above is happening, cook the pasta until just al dente. I like to reduce the cooking time by 1 minute as the pasta will continue to cook while baking and you don’t want pasta that’s too soft. Once pasta is cooked, reserve ½ cup of pasta water and strain the rest.
Make the tomato sauce. Add , and to another pan and saute over medium-high heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. You want the veggies to get soft and almost caramelised.
Add the , , , , , and stir through. Follow with and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Wilt the spinach. Finally, add the and stir through; cook for 1-2 minutes until wilted into the sauce. Taste for seasoning.
Combine the pasta. Add the pre-cooked to the sauce along with the and most of the roasted . Add the and stir through. Place any remaining butternut squash pieces on top and finish the dish with grated Cheddar or Mozzarella.
Ready to bake. Preheat the oven to 200 C (this can be done while you’re assembling the pasta if making everything at once). Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese has melted and a golden brown crust has formed.
Helpful tips
Can I prepare this pasta bake ahead of time and bake it later?
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Can I use a different type of cheese if I don't have feta or cheddar?
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Notes
8
