Family-friendly vegetarian pasta bake

Most of us have a go-to pasta bake recipe for when we need to serve up food in a hurry, even if it often means there’s a big pile of washing up to do afterwards. Our one-dish solution means you simply toss everything in, get it in the oven and hey presto – you’ll have a fuss-free dinner on the table in an hour.

Pasta bakes aren’t typically known for their healthy ingredients, so we’ve tweaked our version to make it better for you. We’ve used wholemeal pasta and a high-protein cheese. Plus, if you dice and finely slice all the veggies, you’ll be able to sneak them in without anyone noticing.

Serves: 4 Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups wholemeal pasta

• 700g jar passata

• 2 cups boiling water

• 2 zucchinis, grated

• 1 red capsicum, finely diced

• 3 spring onions, finely sliced

• ½ cup sundried tomatoes

• 1 cup basil leaves, coarsely chopped

• 150g haloumi, grated

• ½ cup shaved parmesan cheese

• 3 cups rocket leaves

• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C (fan-forced).

2. In a large 3L (12 cup) heavy-based baking dish, place the pasta, passata and water. Stir to ensure pasta is fully submerged. Cover tightly with foil and place in oven for 45 minutes or until pasta is cooked and the majority of liquid has evaporated.

3. Remove pan from oven and add the zucchini, capsicum, spring onion, sundried tomatoes and basil. Stir well. Top with grated haloumi and parmesan cheese.

4. Return pan back to the oven and cook, uncovered for a further 10 minutes or until cheese is golden and melted.

5. Set pasta bake aside to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with rocket leaves tossed in oil.

Allergy information: Nut-free, vegetarian suitable.

Leftover guidelines: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to two days. To freeze, allow dish to cool completely for an hour before placing in an airtight container. This dish can also be frozen for a maximum of three months. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight.

For more leftover storage tips and advice, check out our article, How long can I store leftovers in the fridge?

Looking for more delicious, healthy recipes? We’ve partnered with nutritionists and dietitians to create an exclusive range of meal ideas. Check out our dedicated recipe page for more.