Vegetable Pasta Bake

Name: Vegetable Pasta Bake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 115 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 300g Dried Penne Pasta; 100g Grated Mozzarella and Cheddar; Maldon Salt, to taste; 1 Red Onion, finely chopped; 3 tbsp Olive Oil; 2 Peppers, deseeded and finely sliced; 3 Garlic Cloves, crushed; 2 tbsp Tomato Purée; 2 Courgettes, chopped; 400g Tinned Cherry Tomatoes; 1 Aubergine, chopped; 20g Panko Breadcrumbs; 15g Fresh Basil, leaves picked and stems finely chopped; 25g Vegetarian Hard Cheese, grated

25m prep time

115m total time

Easy level

14 ingredients

Vegetable Pasta Bake recipe by Cherrypick

Get the maximum flavour out of all the veg in our pasta bake by pan-frying it first. You can also freeze this for up to three months to enjoy on busier days.

Method

Based on 4 servings, adjust as needed.

Step 1

Cook the pasta following pack instructions, reserving a mugful of the pasta water and draining it 2 mins before the stated time.

Step 2

Heat two-thirds of the oil in a deep, non-stick pan over low-medium heat, then tip in the aubergine. Stir well to coat in the oil, frying until softened and deeply golden all over, around 10-15 mins. Remove to a bowl and pour the remaining oil into the pan. Once hot, tip in the onion with a pinch of salt and fry for 5-7 mins until just softened before stirring in the peppers and courgettes. Cook for a further 15-17 mins until lightly browned then add the garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes until fragrant.

Step 3

Stir in the tomato purée and allow it to caramelise for 5 mins. Pour in the cooked aubergine, tomatoes, basil stems and half of the basil leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer. Leave to bubble away for 20-25 mins, then season to taste.

Step 4

Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Mix in the cooked pasta along with a generous splash of the cooking water. Season the mixture well to taste and tip into a baking dish. Combine the cheeses with the panko and a large pinch of black pepper, then scatter this over the pasta.

Step 5

Will keep frozen, well covered, for up to three months. Defrost thoroughly before cooking, or cook from frozen covered in foil for 40 mins, then uncovered for a further 20 mins until piping hot throughout. If cooking straightaway, bake for 15-20 mins until bubbling and golden on top. Scatter over the remaining basil leaves to serve.

Ingredients
Based on 4 servings

300g Dried Penne Pasta 1 x Sainsbury's Penne Rigate Pasta 500g
100g Grated Mozzarella and Cheddar 1 x Sainsbury's Grated Cheddar & Mozzarella Mix 250g
Maldon Salt, to taste 1 x Maldon Sea Salt Flakes 250g
1 Red Onion, finely chopped 1 x Sainsbury's Red Onions Loose
3 tbsp Olive Oil 1 x Sainsbury's Olive Oil 500ml
2 Peppers, deseeded and finely sliced 2 x Sainsbury's Red Pepper
3 Garlic Cloves, crushed 1 x Sainsbury's Garlic
2 tbsp Tomato Purée 1 x Sainsbury's Tomato Puree, Double Concentrate 200g
2 Courgettes, chopped 2 x Sainsbury's Courgettes Loose
400g Tinned Cherry Tomatoes 1 x Sainsbury's Italian Pomodorini Cherry Tomatoes in rich tomato juice, Taste the Difference 400g
1 Aubergine, chopped 1 x Sainsbury's Aubergine
20g Panko Breadcrumbs 1 x Sainsbury's Panko Breadcrumbs, Inspired to Cook 100g
15g Fresh Basil, leaves picked and stems finely chopped 1 x Sainsbury's Fresh Packed Basil 30g
25g Vegetarian Hard Cheese, grated 1 x Stamford Street Co. Italian Hard Cheese 200g