Description
Our Vegan Pasta Bake is packed with vegetables, topped with our favorite vegan cheese and baked to perfection. It makes for a perfect weeknight dinner that freezes and stores very well. Leftovers, anyone?
Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta of choice (we used GF elbows), cooked according to package directions
- 1 cup dry green lentils, cooked according to package directions
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 cups button mushrooms, diced
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning blend
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped well
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 25 oz marinara sauce of choice
- 3/4 cup vegan parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 cup shredded vegan mozzarella cheese
- Soft vegan mozzarella for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Cook lentils according to package directions.
- Preheat oven to 375˚ F.
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and add diced onion. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add in garlic and mushrooms and cook down for additional 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add dried herbs, salt and pepper to sauté pan and stir well. Add spinach and parsley, then add tomatoes, cooked lentils, marinara, 2 tbsp vegan parmesan and 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella. Stir well and let cook down for a few minutes, until pasta is finished cooking.
- Add cooked pasta and stir well to coat. Pour into a 9 x 11 baking dish and spread into an even layer.
- Top with remaining vegan cheese and sliced soft mozzarella (optional, but adds creaminess and extra flavor).
- Cover the baking dish with a lid or aluminum foil and bake for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melty. Optional: garnish with fresh basil and red pepper flakes.
Notes
Lentils: it's best to use green or brown lentils here, which hold up well in the sauce. Don't use yellow or red lentils, which will be too mushy in this pasta bake.
Italian seasoning: if you don't have any, sub with 1 tsp each of dried basil, parsley and oregano.
Cooking for two? You may want to halve this recipe. This vegan pasta bake is meant to serve a family of 4 or more and still have leftovers. If you're just making it for one or two people, cut everything in half, or just make sure you're prepared for lots of leftovers (which is never a bad thing!).
Storage: store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Freezer storage: let the pasta cool completely, then transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 6 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before you plan to serve.
Reheating: this vegan pasta bake reheats well in the microwave. Since there's so much sauce, it keeps the pasta from drying out. If you're reheating the entire baking dish, you can do so in a 350˚F oven until warmed through.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Pasta
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 569
- Sugar: 23.4 g
- Sodium: 2162 mg
- Fat: 18.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 83.9 g
- Fiber: 14.9 g
- Protein: 21.1 g
