Roasted Veg Pasta Bake
Roasted vegetable, creamy, pasta bake! It’s a super tasty, warming, nourishing and so easy to eat dish, that you’ll find yourself going back for seconds and thirds!
Takes
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 500 g wholemeal penne
- 2 x 400 g tins of chopped tomatoes
- 2 red peppers
- 1 yellow pepper
- 1 medium leek
- 2 red onions
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 courgette
- 500 ml oat milk
- 3 tbsp white flour
- Oil (for roasting and cooking)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
Instructions
- Preheat the oven:Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan).
- Cook the pasta:Fill and boil the kettle. In a large pot, add the boiled water and 1 tsp of salt, then cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse once cooked.
- Prepare the vegetables:Chop the red and yellow peppers, courgette, and leek into bite-sized pieces. Be sure to wash the leek thoroughly, especially in the centre, as soil often hides there. Include the green part of the leek. Peel and chop one of the red onions into half-moon slices.
- Roast the vegetables:Spread the chopped veg across two baking trays, drizzle 1 tbsp of oil per tray, and season with a generous pinch of salt. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the edges of the peppers, onions, and leeks start to char slightly.
- Make the tomato sauce:Peel and finely dice the second red onion and the garlic.In a large pot, heat 1 tbsp of oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, and fry for 4–5 minutes until the onion starts to soften and brown. Add the chopped tomatoes, 1 tsp of salt, and 1 tbsp of maple syrup. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Remove from the heat.
- Make the béchamel sauce:In a separate pot over medium heat, add 3 tbsp of oil. Once hot, sift in 3 tbsp of white flour and whisk together to form a roux (a thickening agent for the sauce). Cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously.Slowly add the oat milk, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Bring to the boil and allow the mixture to thicken. Season with a generous pinch of salt and a small pinch of black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add the nutritional yeast if you have some, then remove from the heat.
- Assemble the pasta bake:Remove the roasted vegetables from the oven and mix them into the tomato sauce along with the cooked pasta. Stir well, then transfer the mixture to a large casserole dish.Pour the béchamel sauce over the top of the pasta and vegetable mixture.
- Bake:Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, until the top is golden and the dish is heated through.
