Description
This Vegan Pasta Bake is a hearty, protein-packed dish perfect for a family weeknight dinner or meal prep. Featuring green lentils, savory marinara, and vegan cheeses, this recipe combines pantry staples into a comforting, flavorful baked pasta meal that’s both nutritious and satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Lentils
- 12 ounces pasta of choice
- 1 cup uncooked green lentils
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 cups spinach
Sauces and Seasonings
- 1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
- 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Oils and Cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup vegan parmesan (recipe linked)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded vegan mozzarella
Instructions
- Cook Lentils: Cook the green lentils according to package instructions until tender, then set aside to cool.
- Boil Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta for 1-2 minutes less than package directions indicate, as it will finish cooking in the oven.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) in preparation for baking the casserole.
- Sauté Onion: Dice the onion and add it to a pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes, allowing the garlic to become fragrant.
- Create Sauce: Pour in the marinara sauce and crushed tomatoes. Add salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, cooked lentils, and vegan parmesan cheese. Let the sauce simmer gently for 5-10 minutes to blend the flavors thoroughly.
- Combine Pasta and Spinach: Add the cooked pasta and fresh spinach to the sauce mixture. Stir everything together until the spinach wilts and the pasta is evenly coated.
- Assemble Bake: Spoon half of the pasta mixture into a 9×13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle half of the shredded vegan mozzarella on top. Add the remaining pasta mixture, then finish with the rest of the vegan mozzarella cheese.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the vegan cheese melts and is bubbly.
- Serve: Garnish the baked pasta with fresh basil if desired. Serve hot and enjoy your comforting vegan pasta bake!
Notes
- This vegan pasta bake is a perfect, family-friendly weeknight dinner, packed with protein from green lentils.
- Made primarily from pantry staples, it’s ideal for meal prepping and storing for easy meals throughout the week.
- Consider serving it with a side kale salad to add extra greens and nutrition to your meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 496 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 17 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
