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.

Ingredients

Scale

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

Instructions

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Serve: Remove from the oven and scatter the remaining fresh basil leaves over the top before serving.
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