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Nothing screams comfort food louder than pasta bake & this vegetarian version is no exception. Easy Cheesy Vegetable Pasta Bake – your new favourite dinner ready and waiting!

If you’re anything like me, you’ve got an entire vegetable garden sat in your fridge which is on the verge of dying a sad and wasted death. It’s a far too common occurrence, but that’s exactly what vegetable pasta bakes are for. Having said that, this recipe is also special enough to go out and buy veg for too! Follow me…

overhead shot of scooping out pasta bake on white background with props

Vegetable Pasta Bake

You can truly go wild with what veg you want to add to the pasta bake, but here are the offenders most spotted in the back of my fridge:

Best Vegetables for Pasta

  • Onions
  • Peppers
  • Aubergine/Eggplant
  • Courgette/Zucchini
  • Mushrooms

Carrots, Asparagus, Sweet Corn and Broccoli all work perfectly too! But like I said, go wild with whatever you fancy. As long as it’s not actually grown legs and walking out your fridge, because then it’s food waste time.

You can of course buy fresh vegetables for this pasta bake too!

How much Veg to put in Pasta Bake?

For this recipe, I recommend 1lb/500g, 3.5oz/100g of each. I find this bulks out the pasta perfectly enough to feed 5-6 people.

closeup shot of scooping pasta bake out of oven dish

Easy Vegetable Pasta Bake

The other great thing about a veggie pasta bake besides being an awesome way to use up leftovers, is the fact it’s so freakin’ easy to make. Literally no/little cooking ability is needed. Vegetable pasta bakes are supposed to be stress-free, and that’s exactly what this one is.

With the same token, I have made more pasta bakes than I care to admit, so along the way I have picked up some top tips For the best Pasta Bake:

Tips for the perfect veggie pasta bake

  • Al dente pasta – You only want to cook the pasta until it’s just about done, so take a few minutes off of the packet instructions. If you fully cook the pasta, it’s going to come out broken and sloppy after it’s baked.
  • Stir fry veg – Same with the veg, you don’t want it too soft and sloppy when it comes out of the oven. When frying, make sure you quickly fry over high heat, enough to caramelize the veg, but not get it too soft.
  • Herbs – Always good to take the flavour up a notch! Here I use dried oregano and basil, then fresh parsley to serve.
  • Cheese – Because really, is a pasta bake a pasta bake if it’s not bombarded with cheese!? More on this in just a sec.

How to make Vegetable Pasta Bake (quick summary)

  1. Heat oil until smoking hot.
  2. Add veg and stir fry.
  3. Stir in tomato puree/paste.
  4. Add chopped tomatoes, veg stock, seasoning.
  5. Simmer to thicken.
  6. Add pasta.
How to make a vegetable pasta bake - 6 step by step photos

Recipe Tip

You can roast the veg instead of frying if you fancy! I just recommend grouping together the veg that will cook at the same rate i.e root veg like carrots potatoes etc will take longer. A good drizzle of olive oil and salt & pepper, big oven tray and roast at 200C/390F.

Cheesy Vegetable Pasta Bake

Okay, put quite simply, a pasta bake isn’t a pasta bake unless there’s cheese. Sorry, I don’t make the rules!

Best Cheese for Pasta Bake

In my opinion, there are two you can’t compete with: Cheddar and Mozzarella. I add mozzarella through the middle of the pasta bake, you know, just for that classic cheese pull. Cheddar goes perfectly on top because it goes golden and crispy.

Can you make pasta bake ahead of time?

You can, it’s just more important than usual to undercook the pasta, otherwise, it’ll bloat and absorb the sauce as it rests. I also tend to cool the sauce before combining it with the pasta for the same reason. Just make as instructed, with those two points in mind, then cover and store in the fridge until ready to bake. Full transparency I do prefer it freshly baked!

How to Bake Vegetable Pasta Bake

Serving Vegetable Pasta Bake

Once it’s out of the oven, I let it sit for a few mins, or at least until it stops spitting at me. From there I love a good sprinkling of fresh parsley.

What to serve with Vegetable Pasta Bake?

Can I freeze pasta bake leftovers?

Absolutely! Just let the pasta cool then cover and pop in portions in the freezer. I usually defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave.

And there we have it! An easy cheesy veggie pasta bake is yours for the taking. If you’re looking for more pasta bake recipes then definitely check out my Chicken Pasta Bake, Broccoli Pasta Bake, Taco Pasta Bake and Meatball Pasta Bake!

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe shall we?

overhead closeup shot of pasta bake being scooped out of baking dish

How to make a Vegetable Pasta Bake (Full Recipe & Video)

closeup shot of scooping pasta bake out of oven dish
5 from 6 votes

Easy Cheesy Veggie Pasta Bake

By: Chris Collins
Nothing screams comfort food louder than pasta bake & this vegetarian version is no exception. Easy Cheesy Vegetable Pasta Bake – your new favourite dinner ready and waiting!
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Servings: 5 – 6
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Equipment

  • Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
  • Large Deep Frying Pan & Wooden Spoon
  • Pot & Colander (for pasta)
  • 8×12" Baking Dish (or similar size)
  • Cheese Grater

Ingredients 

  • 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • 100g / 3.5oz EACH: sliced Red Onion, sliced Peppers, sliced Mushrooms, diced Eggplant/Aubergine, diced Zucchini/Courgette (1lb/500g Veg in total – see notes)
  • 1 tsp finely diced Garlic
  • 2 tbsp Tomato Puree (Tomato Paste in US)
  • 3x 400g/14oz cans of Chopped Tomatoes
  • 240ml / 1 cup Vegetable Stock
  • 1/2 tsp Chilli Flakes, or to spice preference
  • 1/2 tsp Sugar, or to taste
  • 1 heaped tsp EACH: Dried Oregano, Dried Basil
  • 300g / 10.5oz Penne Pasta, or other short-cut pasta
  • 100g / 1 cup shredded Mozzarella
  • 150g / 1 1/2 cups Cheddar, grated (or more if desired!)
  • Salt & Black Pepper, to taste
  • Fresh Parsley, to garnish

Instructions 

  • Heat up 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large deep frying pan over high heat until it begins to smoke. Add in all 500g/1lb of your veg and begin to stir fry. Shake the pan frequently so the veg doesn't steam itself, you want the veg nicely browned and still a little firm. The veg will cook through properly as you simmer the sauce and bake in the oven, so don't worry too much if it's browned but not completely cooked through.
  • Add 1 tsp garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper, continue stir frying for another minute, just until the garlic starts to lightly colour. Turn heat down to medium and stir in 2 tbsp tomato puree. Fry the puree for 1-2mins, then the chopped tomatoes. Add a drizzle of water to the cans and shake out all the tomato juice.
  • Pour in the vegetable stock, then add the oregano, basil, sugar and chilli flakes, alongside a generous pinch of salt & pepper (to taste). Give it a good stir then simmer for 15mins, or until it starts to thicken slightly.
  • Meanwhile, add the pasta to salted boiling water and boil until al dente. You want it still a bit hard otherwise it'll go soft and mushy in the oven. Drain and combine with sauce. Preheat oven to 200C/400F.
  • In a suitably sized baking dish, spoon in half the pasta, top with mozzarella, spoon over the rest of your pasta then top with cheddar (to you hearts content). Bake in the oven for 20mins or until golden and bubbly on top.
  • Allow to cool for a few mins then serve with an extra helping of fresh parsley!

Video

Notes

a) What Vegetables to use? – You can really use any you want, I just recommend using 1lb/500g’s worth! I usually go for whatever is lurking about in the fridge, and the above veggies are the usual suspects. Broccoli, asparagus and carrot all work great too!
b) Stir fry veg – To ensure the veg doesn’t turn too soft and sloppy in the oven, quickly fry your veg over high heat to ensure it takes on some colour, but stays slightly firm before you add the sauce and bake. If the heat is too low the veg will steam and struggle to caramelize properly.
c) Oil – Because you’re stir-frying over high heat, you want to use an oil with a high smoking point like vegetable, canola or rapeseed oil. Not olive oil.
d) Cheese – I love adding mozzarella through the centre for a nice bit of cheese pull, but this is optional. Cheddar on top is a classic, I always go for a nice strong cheddar for a punch of flavour. Could also use parmesan.
e) Al Dente Pasta – To avoid the pasta becoming sloppy and breaking up in the oven, you want to under-boil it by a few minutes. You only want it to just be cooked before you add it to the sauce.
f) Leftovers – Allow pasta to cool, then cover and pop in the fridge or freezer. If freezing, I usually allow to thaw in the fridge over night then reheat in portions in the microwave.
g) Serving/Calories – Serves 5 big portions of 6 with a side of Garlic Bread. Calories based on sharing between 5 with no side.

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Nutrition

Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 33.42g | Protein: 18.68g | Fat: 20.47g | Saturated Fat: 9.893g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.942g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6.304g | Trans Fat: 0.411g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 377mg | Potassium: 932mg | Fiber: 7.6g | Sugar: 10.32g | Vitamin A: 3281IU | Vitamin C: 67.6mg | Calcium: 387mg | Iron: 1.71mg

Looking for more?

You’ll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook ‘Comfy’

Chris Collins, food blogger at Don't Go Bacon My Heart in white jumper eating a slice of garlic flatbread
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Recipe Rating




14 Comments

  1. Gary & Sarah says:

    5 stars
    Another stunning recipe we’ve tried from yourself, now a firm favourite in our house.

    Thanks for sharing your recipes !

    Reply
    1. Chris Collins says:

      Gary & Sarah, that’s awesome to hear! Thanks so much for popping back for a review 🙂

      Reply
  2. Mary Ann says:

    This looks delish!
    You chose all the veg that pairs nicely.. Off to t he farmers market !
    Thanks for all the temptations. 🙂

    Reply
    1. Chris Collins says:

      That’s awesome – hope you love the recipe! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Emily Hill says:

    5 stars
    This looks like a super yummy vegetarian dish that doubles as comfort food!

    Reply
    1. Chris says:

      You’re not wrong there!! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Stephanie@ApplesforCJ says:

    5 stars
    You had me with Easy & Cheesy but then with all those veggies & pasta this sounds like the ultimate bowl of comfort food. And I’m sure would be wonderful leftover as well.

    Reply
    1. Chris says:

      Yep, so perfect for leftovers! Just polishing some off now as we speak

      Reply
  5. Lauren Vavala @ DeliciousLittleBites says:

    5 stars
    I am so ready for alllll the comfort food! This recipe looks delicious – I love all the veggies in it!

    Reply
    1. Chris says:

      Thanks Lauren!! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Valentina says:

    5 stars
    I love super hearty vegetarian dishes for wall and winter. This looks like such a good one. A comfort food, for sure!

    Reply
    1. Chris says:

      Total comfort food! Thanks Valentina 🙂

      Reply
  7. EA The Spicy RD says:

    5 stars
    I know what I’m making for dinner tonight! And, I love recipes that use up “past their prime veggies”-this looks perfect. With extra cheese of course 🙂

    Reply
    1. Chris says:

      Allll about the extra cheese

      Reply