Vegetable Pasta Bake Recipe

Introduction

This vegetable pasta bake is a comforting, hearty dish packed with colorful veggies and melted cheese. It’s perfect for a cozy dinner and easy enough to prepare any night of the week. Enjoy the rich tomato sauce combined with tender aubergine, peppers, and courgettes for a satisfying meal.

Ingredients

• 300g dried penne pasta
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large aubergine, chopped
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 2 peppers, deseeded and finely sliced
• 2 courgettes, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 400g can cherry tomatoes
• Small bunch of basil, leaves picked and stems finely chopped
• 25g vegetarian hard cheese, grated
• 25g grated mozzarella
• 75g mature cheddar, grated
• 20g panko breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. Step 1: Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, but drain it 2 minutes before the stated time and reserve a mugful of the pasta water.
2. Step 2: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a deep, non-stick pan over low to medium heat. Add the chopped aubergine and stir well to coat in oil. Fry until softened and golden, about 10–15 minutes, then remove to a bowl.
3. Step 3: Pour the remaining olive oil into the pan. Once hot, add the chopped red onion with a pinch of salt. Fry for 5–7 minutes until softened, then stir in the peppers and courgettes. Cook for 15–17 minutes until lightly browned.
4. Step 4: Add the crushed garlic and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the tomato purée and allow it to caramelise for 5 minutes.
5. Step 5: Return the cooked aubergine to the pan along with the canned cherry tomatoes, basil stems, and half of the basil leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20–25 minutes. Season to taste.
6. Step 6: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) or gas mark 6. Mix the cooked pasta into the sauce along with a splash of the reserved pasta water. Season well and transfer the mixture into a baking dish.
7. Step 7: Combine the grated vegetarian hard cheese, mozzarella, mature cheddar, panko breadcrumbs, and a large pinch of black pepper. Sprinkle this cheese mixture evenly over the pasta.
8. Step 8: Bake immediately for 15–20 minutes until bubbling and golden on top. Alternatively, cover and freeze for up to three months. To reheat from frozen, cook covered in foil for 40 minutes, then uncovered for 20 minutes until piping hot throughout.
9. Step 9: Scatter the remaining basil leaves over the pasta bake before serving.

Tips & Variations

• Use gluten-free pasta and breadcrumbs to make this dish gluten-free.
• Add a pinch of chili flakes to the tomato sauce for a slight kick.
• Swap the aubergine for mushrooms or add spinach for extra green goodness.
• For a vegan version, replace the cheeses with your favorite plant-based alternatives or nutritional yeast.

Storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until piping hot. This pasta bake also freezes well for up to three months—defrost thoroughly before reheating if possible.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use other types of pasta for this bake?

Absolutely! While penne works well, you can substitute with rigatoni, fusilli, or any pasta shape that holds sauce nicely. Just adjust cooking times accordingly.

How can I make this dish vegan?

Replace all cheeses with vegan alternatives or nutritional yeast. Ensure the pasta and breadcrumbs you use are vegan-friendly to keep the dish fully plant-based.

Vegetable Pasta Bake Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 71 reviews

• Author: Cleo
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

This hearty vegetable pasta bake features tender penne pasta combined with a rich medley of sautéed aubergine, peppers, courgettes, and onions in a flavorful tomato sauce infused with garlic and fresh basil. Topped with a mix of vegetarian hard cheese, mozzarella, mature cheddar, and crunchy panko breadcrumbs, it bakes to a golden, bubbling perfection, making it a comforting and satisfying vegetarian main dish.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Pasta

• 300g dried penne pasta
• Cooking water reserved from pasta (amount varies)

Vegetables & Sauce

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large aubergine, chopped
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 2 peppers, deseeded and finely sliced
• 2 courgettes, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 400g can cherry tomatoes
• Small bunch of basil, leaves picked and stems finely chopped
• Pinch of salt
• Large pinch of black pepper

Toppings

• 25g vegetarian hard cheese, grated
• 25g grated mozzarella
• 75g mature cheddar, grated
• 20g panko breadcrumbs

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Instructions

1. Cook the pasta: Cook the dried penne pasta according to the package instructions but drain it 2 minutes before the recommended time to keep it slightly firm. Reserve a mugful of the cooking water to use later in the sauce.
2. Sauté the aubergine: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a deep non-stick pan over low to medium heat. Add the chopped aubergine and stir well to coat in oil. Fry the aubergine, stirring occasionally, until it is softened and deeply golden all over, approximately 10-15 minutes. Remove the aubergine to a bowl and pour the remaining tablespoon of olive oil into the pan.
3. Cook the onion, peppers, and courgettes: Add the finely chopped onion to the pan along with a pinch of salt. Fry for 5-7 minutes until just softened. Then stir in the sliced peppers and chopped courgettes. Cook for 15-17 minutes, allowing the vegetables to lightly brown.
4. Add garlic and tomato purée: Stir in the crushed garlic cloves and cook for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Add the tomato purée and allow it to caramelize by cooking for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
5. Combine with aubergine and tomatoes: Return the cooked aubergine to the pan along with the canned cherry tomatoes, finely chopped basil stems, and half of the basil leaves. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let it cook gently for 20-25 minutes to develop the flavors. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Preheat oven and mix pasta with sauce: Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/Gas mark 6. Add the cooked penne pasta to the sauce with a generous splash of the reserved pasta cooking water. Stir well and adjust seasoning as needed.
7. Prepare the topping: In a small bowl, combine the grated vegetarian hard cheese, mozzarella, mature cheddar, panko breadcrumbs, and a large pinch of freshly ground black pepper.
8. Assemble and bake: Transfer the pasta and vegetable mixture to a baking dish. Evenly scatter the cheese and breadcrumb mixture on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the top is bubbling and golden brown.
9. Serve: Remove from the oven and scatter the remaining fresh basil leaves over the top before serving.
10. Freezing instructions: This dish can be frozen well-covered for up to three months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating, or cook from frozen covered with foil for 40 minutes, then uncovered for a further 20 minutes until heated through.

Notes

• Reserve some pasta cooking water to help loosen the sauce and bind the pasta better.
• Frying the aubergine slowly until deeply golden adds richer flavor and texture.
• Caramelizing the tomato purée before adding other ingredients enhances the sauce’s depth.
• Use a mix of cheeses to create a flavorful, bubbly topping with nice texture from the panko breadcrumbs.
• For a vegan version, substitute the cheeses with vegan alternatives and confirm the panko breadcrumbs are vegan.
• Make sure to stir occasionally while sautéing vegetables to avoid burning and ensure even cooking.
• This bake keeps well and freezes nicely, making it suitable for meal prep.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Italian-inspired

Keywords: vegetable pasta bake, vegetarian pasta bake, aubergine pasta, baked penne, cheesy pasta bake, easy vegetarian dinner