Rich Tomato & Roast Vegetable Pasta Bake

I've made this tomato and roast vegetable pasta bake a few times recently. I had no idea if it would work. I roasted the vegetables in a roasting pan, then added the tomatoes, tomato puree, stock and seasoning, then I mixed in the uncooked pasta and popped it in the oven?

The first time, I had major doubts while it was cooking. I was thinking "Oh shoot maybe I should have cooked the pasta first!". There are lots of one-pot pasta dishes online, but they are made in a pot. Would it really work in the oven?

It worked!

Soft, but firm pasta in a rich sauce with so much flavour and a great boost to our vegetable intake for the day.

Graham and I loved it. Cooper said he loved it, but examining his bowl, there was a suspicious amount of veg left. Still he'll have eaten some of the vegetables and spinach never seems to worry him in a pasta dish, so it's still a win.

Cover the pasta bake with foil

The second time I made this pasta bake, I covered the tray in foil before placing it in the oven and that's good if you don't want too many crusty bits. I know crusty bits are good, but I didn't like too many crusty bits of pasta poking through the sauce. This may be heaven in your world, so I'll let you decide.

To foil or not to foil, that is the question!

Vegetarian option

If you're veggie you could top it with some crumbled feta or some fresh mozzarella and whip the foil off for the last 15-20 minutes cooking. I was making this as a vegan dish, so I didn't bother and it has such a rich flavour it didn't need it. However I did grate some vegan Parmesan into a bowl to serve at the table.

I love roasting pan bakes like this. They're so easy and the taste always seems to be amplified with an oven bake. The roast vegetables really impart a lot of flavour.

Which vegetables to bake?

I baked red and yellow bell peppers, red onion, a couple of large mushrooms left in the fridge and courgette, then added spinach when I added the sauce and the pasta. You could also add aubergine, sweet potato or butternut squash. Have a look in your fridge to see what you need to use up or what looks good (or is cheap) in the supermarket. 

More vegetable bakes

I have a few other bakes like this in my repertoire. Some are just roasted vegetables with chickpeas and spices added and in others I roast the vegetables with veggie sausages, then add a gravy or a tomato sauce like the one in this pasta bake. They're family pleasers and comfort food at it's best.

Nutrition and Calories

This bake serves 6 with 336 calories and 4g fat per portion. It's high in Vitamin A and Vitamin C and has a decent amount of protein and Iron with a small amount of calcium from the spinach.

This pasta bake would be perfect for the 5:2 diet.

 

1.  Sticky Red Onion and Sausage Bake with Gravy (vegan)
2.  Veggie Sausage, Lentil and Red Pepper Bake (vegan)

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Rich Tomato & Roast Vegetable Pasta Bake

Written by Jacqueline Meldrum

May 05, 2017

A rich pasta bake that is so easy to make. The whole dish is made in a roasting pan. First you roast the vegetables, then you add the sauce ingredients and dried pasta. Pop it in the oven, walk away and 40 mins later voila. The most delicious pasta bake that everyone will love. Suitable for vegans.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 courgette, sliced
• 2 bell peppers (red and yellow), chopped into large pieces
• 2 large flat mushrooms, sliced
• 2 red onions, peeled, halved and cut into wedges
• 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
• 5 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 small glass red wine
• 500ml hot vegetable stock (3 stock cubes)
• 500g fresh spinach
• 400g dried penne pasta
• a good grinding of salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 220c/200c fan/425f/Gas 7. 2. Prepare the vegetables (not the spinach) and toss in olive oil, then spread out in a roasting pan.3. Roast for 20-25 mins until starting to brown at the edges.4. Add the tomatoes, puree, stock, wine spinach and seasoning and stir well.5. Mix in the pasta, then press down the pasta below the liquid, cover the pan with foil and bake for 40 minutes. 6. Serve with a sprinkle of vegan Parmesan and a dressed green side salad. 7. Enjoy!

Details

Total prep time: 75 mins

Nutrition facts per 6 servings:
336 calories
4 grams fat

Yield: Serves 6

If you like my pasta bake, you may also like my Roast Vegetable, Veggie Sausage and Chickpea Bake. You'll also find a Creamy Vegetarian Sausage Pasta Bake over at Planet Veggie