Veggie Pasta Bake

This veggie pasta bake is one in every of my household’s favorite dinners, particularly after we need a vegetarian meal. It’s crammed with greens like roasted butternut squash, mushrooms, peppers, and spinach, paired with a scrumptious tomato sauce and baked with feta and Cheddar cheeses. It’s an unimaginable comforting dinner that can also be nutrient-dense.

In This Publish:

My Favorite Veggie Pasta Bake

I’ve made this pasta bake many, many occasions. It’s our go-to consolation meals within the cooler months and my household loves it.

This vegetable pasta bake requires a bit of little bit of prep however as soon as the dish is assembled (which you are able to do forward of time), all you want is to pop it within the oven for 15-20 minutes. I usually pre-make it on a Sunday as a part of meal prep after which bake it on Monday night.

With a plethora of greens, flavourful tomato sauce, gooey cheese crust and salty feta melted into the sauce, that is the final veggie pasta bake!

👉 Should you’re in search of extra vegetarian dinner recipes, be sure that to attempt my lentil and mushroom Stroganoff, this veggie-filled cottage cheese lasagna, the baked Italian eggplant Parmigiana, or the quinoa-stuffed peppers. You’ll find all of my vegetarian recipes right here.

You Will Want

This recipe is fairly forgiving and also you don’t should be tremendous correct with the quantities of veggies listed. Rather less or extra will work simply positive! Here’s what it’s essential to make this veggie pasta bake:

• Winter squash/pumpkin – you should use butternut squash or kabocha squash (Japanese or Kent pumpkin, for these in Australia). Reduce it into cubes and roast a giant batch (save the leftovers for a salad). This may be carried out forward of time.
• Mushrooms – good previous cremini, white button mushrooms, sliced.
• Spinach – Child spinach is greatest for this recipe however you could possibly additionally chop up some English spinach or defrost frozen spinach.
• For the sauce – onions, pink bell pepper, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes in oil (don’t skip!), paprika, chili flakes, salt, pepper, and tomato passata (aka tomato sauce or marinara sauce).
• Cheese – feta and both grated Cheddar or Mozzarella; in Australia, Tasty cheese can also be good right here!
• Pasta – I virtually all the time make this dish with fusilli pasta because it holds onto the sauce so nicely. You may additionally use penne or rigatoni, nothing too small although.

How To Make Vegetable Pasta Bake

Discover the total record of substances, dietary information, and directions within the recipe card beneath. Listed here are some step-by-step photos to information you alongside.

• Put together roasted squash. Preheat oven to 400 F/200 C. Peel and reduce the squash into giant cubes. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast on a big, flat baking tray for 25-Half-hour, till pretty and delicate.
• Prepare dinner the mushrooms. Slice the mushrooms. Saute in a big pan with a bit of olive oil and salt over medium-high warmth for 7-8 minutes, stirring each 2 minutes, till golden brown.

• Make the tomato sauce. Add olive oil, onions and pink peppers to a different pan and saute over medium-high warmth for 7-8 minutes, stirring each 2 minutes. You need the veggies to get delicate and virtually caramelized.
• Add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, salt, pepper, chilli, paprika and stir via. Observe with tomato sauce and cook dinner for 3-4 minutes.
• Wilt the spinach: Lastly, add the infant spinach and stir via; cook dinner for 1-2 minutes till wilted into the sauce. Style for seasoning.

• Prepare dinner the pasta. Whereas the above is going on, cook dinner the pasta till simply al dente. I like to cut back the cooking time by 1 minute because the pasta will proceed to cook dinner whereas baking and also you don’t need pasta that’s too delicate. As soon as pasta is cooked, reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and pressure the remaining.
• Mix the pasta: Add the pre-cooked pasta to the sauce together with the mushrooms and many of the roasted butternut squash. Add the feta cheese and stir via. Place any remaining butternut squash items on high and end the dish with grated Cheddar or Mozzarella.
• Able to bake: Preheat the oven to 400 F/ 200 C (this may be carried out whilst you’re assembling the pasta if making every thing without delay). Bake for 15-20 minutes till the cheese has melted and golden brown crust has fashioned.
• Making-ahead: You’ll be able to retailer pre-made veggie pasta in a baking dish in a single day. Carry to room temperature (10-Quarter-hour out of the fridge) earlier than baking.

Recipe Suggestions

• Don’t overcook the pasta! Maintain it al dente, even a bit of undercooked as it should proceed to cook dinner whereas baking. Talking of pasta, use bigger shapes like fusilli and penne.
• To hurry up the time, roast the butternut squash forward of time. It may be saved for 3-4 days within the fridge.
• One other pace hack is to make use of store-bought pasta sauce (one thing like a vegetable model) and add the spinach when heating it up.
• If making your sauce like on this recipe, don’t skip sun-dried tomatoes! They’re a key flavour ingredient and I’m all in regards to the flavours.

What To Serve With Pasta Bake

This dish is ideal by itself however you possibly can freshen it up with a crisp inexperienced salad or some garlic broccoli. I additionally love a drizzle of chili oil on my serving.

Extra Pasta Recipes

Full Recipe 

Discover the total record of substances, directions, and a dietary breakdown beneath. In case you have questions or cook dinner this recipe, please let me know within the feedback, and ensure to price this recipe so it’s straightforward for others to seek out.